


Once Lost Now Found

by FreckledAvenger11



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Kidnapped Peter Parker, Ned Leeds is a Good Bro, Not Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Compliant, Not Spider-Man: Far From Home Compliant, Not Spider-Man: Homecoming Compliant, Or Is he?, Original Character Death(s), Original Character(s), Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker is Tony Stark's Biological Child, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-26
Updated: 2020-07-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:41:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 80,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23323369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FreckledAvenger11/pseuds/FreckledAvenger11
Summary: Peter Parker was just trying to get used to life without his uncle. He wasn't expecting to find a familiar face in an article about Tony Stark's missing son. Follow Peter on his journey to discover just who he is. Is he Peter Parker? Is he Spider-Man? Or is he someone else entirely? Just who is he and what secrets died along with his parents in that plane crash?
Relationships: James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark, Ned Leeds & Peter Parker, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Comments: 220
Kudos: 1159





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is AU. It combines events from multiple movies and they come together to form one alternate universe that explores how Peter and Tony meet. It will look at how they grow closer and discover surprising things about one another. This story mainly involves and references some things that take place in Iron Man, Age of Ultron, Civil War, Homecoming, and Far From Home. Really, any MCU movie could be referenced somewhere along the way. Spoilers are always a possibility, but I'm mainly hoping to use these characters to create my own original story. I am also taking some creative liberties with Spider-Man's backstory here. I draw inspiration from the original story, but I really tried to bring in my own ideas.
> 
> If you haven't read my stories before, I write it out as if I am picturing real scenes that appear in a movie. Line breaks indicate that we are moving from one scene to another. Additionally, I have a lot of ground that I want to cover in this story. Therefore, there will be multiple time jumps. There are things that I would like to explore in the those time jumps, but it would drag out the story and take too long to get to the things that deserve more attention. In a way, I'm going to have some "deleted scenes." If you are reading and are curious about something that takes place within a time jump, let me know. I can always add my "deleted scene" at the end of the story.
> 
> Additionally, if there is anyone out there with any artistic skills, I would love some artwork to go along with this fic. I will be sure to give credit where it is due!

PROLOGUE

Lost.

Peter stood next to his aunt, staring at his Uncle Ben's grave.

Lost. He lost his parents and now his uncle was lost to him as well.

Peter glanced over towards his aunt. May was trying to keep her composure as she stood in front of her husband's grave next to her nephew. But Peter knew better. He could tell how broken she was inside. Unshed tears were sitting in May's eyes and she had her arms tucked around her, as if embracing herself in a hug.

Peter took a slow, steadying breath and turned back to Ben's grave. A temporary marker sat atop the dirt, where grass was now sprouting. Six months. Half of a year had already passed since the day Uncle Ben died in Peter's arms. Peter dared to glance at May again. This time he caught her as she wiped at a tear that had threatened to fall. Peter's fists clenched at his side. He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails broke the skin. But that didn't matter. Peter would heal quickly. Ben would never heal. There was no way to make up for how he failed May. As Spider-Man, he should have been able to stop the man who shot Ben.

The memory flooded back to him:

_Ben and Peter were having a disagreement as they approached the convenience store._

_"All I'm saying, Peter," Ben lectured, voice barely containing his frustration, "...is that you need to let your Aunt May and I know where you are at all times. You're our responsibility. What if something happened to you?"_

_Peter grumbled in annoyance, "Uncle Ben… please… come on! I'm not a little kid anymore! I just wanted to hang out with my friends."_

_Ben clenched his jaw shut at Peter's whining and opened the door to the convenience store, nodding for the teenager to enter ahead of him. May had asked him to pick up milk, and Ben was never one to go home empty handed when May needed something. The plan was to pick up milk after retrieving Peter from the library. Except Ben arrived early to the library, only to find Peter sneaking back inside… sweaty and out of breath._

_Peter used the library as an excuse. He only stayed until his uncle left, and then he would go and experiment with his new strength and abilities. Tonight, Peter had saved some rich lady from a creep that was trying to assault her. She was so thankful that she shoved money into Peter's hand in gratitude, refusing to take it back._

_Ben saw the money still in Peter's hand when he had rushed back into the library. The money that was now tucked away in Peter's pocket. Ben frowned at Peter as they moved to the back of the nearly empty store. "I don't suppose you're going to tell me how you really got that money tonight?" Ben questioned._

_Peter rolled his eyes, "Uncle Ben! I told you. I met up with some friends that texted me while I was at the library. They made a bet about who could eat the most churros, and I won!" It was a weak lie, and Peter knew it. But it was all he could come with in that moment at the library… the moment he saw his uncle's confused and disappointed face as he rushed back in._

_"Churros?" Ben questioned dubiously. "Come on, Peter. Be serious." Ben opened the refrigerator and grabbed the milk, letting the door slam closed and looking Peter in the eyes._

_Peter froze when his uncle's eyes met his own. Peter rarely saw this look of angry disappointment from the man. Come to think of it. Peter couldn't recall his uncle ever looking at him this way. Peter swallowed past the lump that was forming in his throat. He couldn't tell Ben about his abilities, could he? That wasn't a good idea. "I don't know what you mean," Peter lied._

_The disappointment on Ben's face grew, "Really?" Ben shook his head back and forth. "Your friends gave you two Grants for eating a bunch of churros?"_

_As if his own body betrayed his lies, Peter's stomach growled in response. Peter sheepishly looked down as if there was suddenly something very interesting on the floor._

_Ben raised an eyebrow, "You can't possibly be hungry after eating so much, right? Peter… look at me!" The command was firm, but Ben didn't raise his voice. Ben never raised his voice._

_Slowly, Peter lifted up his head to look at the other man._

_"Tell me the truth, kiddo. Where did you get the money?" Ben pleaded._

_Peter was quiet as he battled the thoughts flooding through his mind. Part of him really wanted to tell Ben about the spider bite and abilities, but that seemed like an impossible thing to confess._

_Ben shuffled on his feet impatiently. He lowered his voice and stepped towards Peter, "Are you doing something illegal? Just… please… tell me it isn't drugs! I know you're smart, and I have no idea what you and your friends can cook up in that school's chemistry lab…"_

_"WHAT?! No!" Peter cut him off. His uncle wasn't necessarily wrong about cooking something up in the chem lab, but he certainly wasn't selling the web fluid he was working on to anyone. "How could you think that?" Peter asked, truly sad at the idea that his uncle could think so little of him._

_Ben shrugged. "Seriously? Come on, Peter! I know you better than anyone. Something has changed. Sure… some of it for the better. I mean… you seem more confident, and that's great. But the lying… Peter, that isn't like you at all. Sneaking away from the library and not telling me where you're getting money from…" Ben's eyes were pleading with Peter to tell him something._

_Peter couldn't take the look in those eyes any longer. "Some kids at school paid me to do their homework," he blurted out._

_His uncle's eyes darkened a little, and for a moment Peter thought he would get called out on this lie, too._

_His uncle sighed, turning towards the register and shaking his head. "Damn it, Peter. All that talent and you waste it to help some kids cheat?_

_Peter followed his uncle to the front of the store, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I'm sorry," he tried._

_Ben stopped suddenly, nearly causing Peter to run into him. Ben turned, "That's not good enough, Peter. Never again! Do you hear me? I don't care how much those losers want to pay you! You earned a place at that school. Shit like this could get you thrown out of there! No more!"_

_Peter didn't answer. He just kept looking at the floor._

_"Do you hear me, son?" Ben asked again. "Never again!"_

_Peter didn't like this lecture. He had helped someone tonight. He hadn't done anything wrong! Everything was out of control, and it was completely ridiculous. In his anger and frustration, Peter looked up at his uncle. His voice was low and came out as a growl, "I'm not your son!"_

_Ben blinked and stepped back in surprise, as if slapped._

_Peter grabbed the milk from his uncle's hand and pushed by the man as he stood dumbfounded in the aisle. "You got it. Never again!"_

_"Peter! Hang on a second!" Ben called to him._

_"Never mind!" Peter said, setting the milk on the counter by the cashier. He pulled out his money. "I'll get the milk and meet you outside," he snapped, turning his back on his uncle and ignoring the hurt and disappointment on his father figure's face. It had been a low blow. Ben didn't deserve that. He regretted his words the moment they left his mouth, but he couldn't take them back now. Instead, he took the frustration he felt with himself and directed it at Ben. That would have to do for now._

_Peter would regret the next moments for the rest of his life. He took the fifties from his pocket, ready to pay the cashier when he felt something flash within him like a warning. He turned to see a man come in the door and pull a gun on him and the cashier._

_"Nice couple of bills you got there, kid!" The man cocked the gun to show he was serious and said, "Hand the fifties to the nice man behind the counter! Now!"_

_"Peter!" Ben called to him fearfully._

_The gunman turned his weapon towards Ben. "Stay put! Don't be a hero!"_

_Peter needed the attention back on him, "You know what? It's fine! Here!" Peter threw the money on the counter. "I'm not supposed to have it anyway!" Peter threw a look at his uncle. Maybe now the man would leave him alone. Actually, no... he would probably tell Peter that getting robbed was karma or something._

_His thoughts were interrupted when the gunman turned the gun back on the cashier and spoke again, "Put the kid's money and the money from the register into a bag! And throw in some scratchers while you're at!" Peter frowned at the man's request. The man looked at Peter and winked, "I'm feeling lucky tonight!"_

_Peter rolled his eyes and shifted to take a step to put himself between his uncle and the crazy man with the gun._

_Moving had been a bad idea._

_"What the hell do you think you're doing?" The man cried out, placing his finger over the trigger and moving it to point at Peter._

_Faster than Peter ever would've thought possible, Ben placed himself in front of his nephew. "Please! He's just a boy!" Ben told the man._

_Peter couldn't believe this. How could his uncle put himself in this kind of danger after what Peter just said to him. Peter needed to be the one to protect his uncle. He placed his hand on Ben's shoulder, ready to move him out of the way._

_"He needs to stop moving! You all need to stop moving!" The gunman cried out._

_Everyone froze._

_"Except you!" the gunman called over to the cashier (who had also frozen in place). The man pointed the gun back at him as he finished stuffing a plastic bag with money and lotto tickets. Once the bag was full, he snatched it from the cashier. "Thanks!" The man said sarcastically, bringing the bag to his side and turning back to Peter and Ben._

_Sirens could be heard in the distance. Everyone's eyes went wide._

_"What the hell did you do?" The gunman threw an accusing glance at the cashier, who shook his head back and forth._

_"No...nothing!" the cashier said._

_"Bullshit!" The man took a step to look out the door, only to see flashing lights. "I ain't going down like this!" The man took a look at Peter. "They come after me, and I'm taking the kid with me!"_

_"Just try it!" Peter growled out, tired of this whole situation. He was strong enough to take this man down, and he didn't even care if his uncle learned the truth about his abilities in the process._

_"No!" Ben cried out, leaping towards the man and grabbing the gun._

_"Ben! STOP!" Peter called out._

_It all happened in slow motion. Ben tried to snatch the gun. The two men fumbled with the weapon between them. The gun went off. Ben stumbled back, falling into the counter behind him and dropping to the floor._

_"Oh God… No!" Peter cried out, rushing to put pressure on his uncle's wound._

_The sirens were gone. The police were never coming to the store. They sped by, going to another call._

_The gunman looked around in shock and confusion before stuffing the bag inside his coat and quickly stumbling out the door._

_Peter didn't follow. Instead, he focused on his uncle. "Ben! Please… no! Please!" Peter increased the pressure on the wound. There was too much blood, and no amount of enhanced ability could keep his uncle's blood inside of his body. "Don't leave me, Uncle Ben. I'm so sorry! Please!"_

_"I'm calling 9-1-1!" The cashier told him._

_"P'ter…" Ben gasped out, eyes searching as if not seeing the boy._

_Tears tumbled down Peter's face, "Ben… I'm here. Please don't go. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry that I wasn't honest with you! Pl-please!" His uncle's eyes were going dim. He could see the man's life draining away._

_"P'ter…" Ben barely managed to get the name out a second time. "I… I… ugh…" Ben choked on his words, unable to speak anymore. His eyes were distant. Empty._

_"Uncle Ben?" Peter asked, voice quivering in fear. He couldn't hear the other man's heartbeat anymore. Why couldn't he hear it? "No! Please…" Peter cried. He lowered his head down on his uncle's shoulder and cried even harder. He knew. Ben was gone, and Peter could never take back those final moments._

Back in the present, Peter wiped at some of his own tears that had managed to escape. May noticed. "Oh, Peter!" She pulled him into a hug. "It's okay. We're going to be okay. I know this is hard on you."

Peter let his aunt hold him. "I'm sorry, May. I should've stopped it."

"Peter Benjamin Parker! Don't you dare say that!" May scolded, suddenly holding him out in front of her by his shoulders. "Look at me! Don't you ever say that! Your uncle loved you! He wanted to protect you! That's our job!"

A new wave of grief washed over him at her words, and he shook his head back and forth in protest. "You weren't there, May. The last words we said to each other… he was so disappointed in me."

May shook her head this time. "Whatever it was, Peter. It doesn't matter."

"That's not true," Peter tried to protest.

"It is! He loved you, Peter! Nothing could ever change that! What he did! He did it because you meant the world to him! And while I wish he could've found another way…" her voice broke a little. "... I'm glad that I didn't have to lose you both."

Peter leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her. "You won't lose me, Aunt May. I'll make Uncle Ben proud. I'll take care of you."

She let out a small chuckle at that comment, "That's my job, tough guy. I'm the one who takes care of you."

"I guess we'll just have to take care of each other," Peter insisted.

His aunt didn't answer with words. Instead, she just hugged him closer to her. Peter looked over her shoulder towards his uncle's grave. He would take care of May and anyone else who needed him. He would make things right by making sure that bad things didn't happen because of him ever again.

As Spider-Man, Peter would protect others. That was his job now. That is how he would honor his uncle's memory.

* * *

A week later and Peter and May were working together to sort through things in the apartment. Pictures of Peter, May, and Ben were scattered around the rooms. Reminders of happier times. They had just finished going through some of Ben's old things.

"Here…" May said, holding out Ben's favorite baseball cap and some cufflinks to him. "...He would want you to have these."

Peter swallowed hard. "Oh… thanks, May." He gently took the items from her hands and walked them towards his room. Peter set the items on his dresser as he reached for a shoebox from the top shelf of his closet. Peter clutched the box in his hands, stepping backwards to sit on his bed. He stroked the box and carefully opened the lid to reveal the contents.

Inside were some of the only things that Peter had to remind of his parents, Richard and Mary Parker. The box contained old pictures, his father's watch, his mother's pearl earrings, and a tiny stuffed bear that Peter won at a carnival with them. Peter smiled sadly at the contents. He picked up the pictures as May walked in to join him. She quietly sat next to him on his bed as he removed the pictures from the box.

She smiled as he shuffled through them, "You were such a little cutie!" She reached out to touch one picture in particular. Richard and Mary were squeezing a young Peter in between them in a tight hug, making the boy squeal in laughter as the picture was taken. "I remember this picture. Ben took that picture. I think it was taken only a few months before Ben and I were married." May gently stroked the edge of the picture as if she could touch the younger version of Peter and show him her affection. May rested her head on her nephew's shoulder. "I wish I could've known you as a baby! I bet you were adorable!"

"Yeah, right!" Peter told her, chuckling softly. He continued to go through the pictures and frowned. "I'm surprised I don't have any baby pictures," he told her.

"Hmm..." May hummed. "That is a surprise. I guess Ben never found any after… um… well, after he took care of sorting out your parent's personal items."

Peter let out a long, shaky breath. "It's not right. The memories of the people I loved most are being confined to a damn shoebox."

"That's not true, Peter." May raised her hand and placed it over Peter's heart. "They're always with you. This box is just where you keep things safe, but their memory is locked inside of your heart."

Peter smiled at her as he pulled a picture from the pile, placing it on his nightstand. It was a picture of himself at about 3 years old, sitting on his mother's lap. "I wish I could remember more about them," he told May.

May gave him a small hug, "I know, sweetheart. I'm sorry you have to go through this again. It's so hard to say goodbye, especially like this." She stood up and walked towards Ben's items, picking them up and moving to hand them over to Peter.

Peter gently placed the items in his box, returning the lid with a sigh. "Yeah…" he choked out. "It definitely sucks." Peter looked at the box in his lap and broke, "Why do they all leave me, May? How could I let this happen again?"

"Oh Peter… this… none of this is your fault!" She knelt in front of him, using her right hand to gently lift his chin so that he was looking at her. "Please tell me that you know that, Peter. None of this is on you! Okay? None of it!" She offered him a sad smile, "You still have me."

Peter smiled back, "What would I do without you?"

She shuddered at the thought, but continued to smile at him. She dropped her hand in order to grab a firm hold of his, "Lord willing, we will never have to find out." She leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on his cheek. "Love you, kiddo!" She stood up and walked towards his door, giving him an adoring look as she left.

"I love you, too." Peter called gently to her. Once she left, he carefully placed the box back in his closet with a sigh. He turned and noticed the picture of him with his mother still on the nightstand. He decided to leave it out for a little while. Maybe the picture would spark some memories with his parents. He frowned again, disappointed that he didn't have any evidence of what he was like as an infant. He shrugged, turning to leave his room and see if May needed anymore help.

* * *

The next day at school was rough. It had been a long week, visiting his uncle's grave and chasing memories as he and May finished sorting through the last of Ben's things. He hadn't slept well the night before, either. He was plagued with nightmares. Some took him back to his uncle's death, but there were other dreams that disturbed him even more. Sometimes in his nightmares, he would see dark shadows, dragging him away. Or he thought it was him being dragged away. He could hear a small voice crying out, but he couldn't be sure it was his own. It always ended when he (or he thought it was himself) was shut inside a dark space. He always woke up after that.

Peter sighed as he went to his locker after lunch. He grabbed some books for his next class and jumped as Ned appeared beside him.

"Dude!" Ned whined, "Come on, man! You can't just leave me in the cafeteria like that!"

"Sorry, Ned," Peter apologized to his best friend. "I'm just not in the right headspace today."

Ned gave his friend an understanding smile, "Long week, huh? Did you and your aunt finish… you know?"

Peter did know, "Yeah… we finished taking some of my uncle's stuff to the salvation army. It's so weird to donate his things. I feel like he could come home any day and ask where his stuff went."

"I'm sorry, Peter," his friend told him kindly.

Peter shook his head, "It's fine, dude. It's just the Parker luck." Peter shrugged and nodded for Ned to follow him to their next class.

Ned didn't say anything else. He just quietly followed Peter into their history class. They were only a few weeks into the school year, and their teacher insisted on starting each class with a "On this day in history" lesson. Every student took turns presenting on a different day. Today, it was Flash's turn to share a news story. Peter and Ned shared a frown as Flash made his way to the front of the room. They both doubted that Flash would pick anything interesting.

"What's up, everyone! This is Flash coming at you with today's old news."

A collection of sighs and eyerolls went around the classroom. "Simmer down, everyone," the teacher called out, sounding a little bored. "Go on, Flash. Remember… The idea is to discuss how this story has shaped something that still impacts our world today. What did you find?"

Flash cleared his throat, holding out a story he printed. "Today is September 12, 2017. On this day in 2004, Anthony Edward Stark, Jr. was kidnapped from his home in Malibu. The two year old son of Tony Stark and his fiance, Jennifer DeVega, was taken from his home never to be found. Stark returned home to find his fiance dead and his son gone. My dad said that was when Stark went crazy and dove into work, making more and more weapons and stuff. He returned to his playboy ways until he himself was kidnapped in 2008!"

"Flash!" The teacher scolded. "This assignment is not about celebrity gossip. You are meant to address the impact of your historical event on our world today."

"I know, sir," Flash argued flippantly. "I'm getting to that part. Don't you see? I believe that this tragedy was one of the first events to set things in motion for Tony Stark to become Iron Man! First, Stark loses his child and the boy's mother. Then, his own life was threatened when he was taken in Afghanistan. I think these two events sparked something in him. He first made weapons to take out the bad guys. When that didn't work, he tossed the weapons aside to make himself the ultimate weapon. Without Iron Man, New York would've been pulverized when those aliens attacked us in 2012!"

The room was quiet.

"Wow, Flash," MJ called out. "Leave it to you to present a story more depressing and bleak than one I could find."

"I know, right!" Flash said. "I sometimes forget that Stark ever had a kid! I mean… who kidnaps and kills a two year old?"

"Alright, Flash," the teacher called out. "Thank you for sharing. You may feel free to pass the article around the room. And remember… Anyone can earn extra credit by either agreeing to refuting how today's "This Day in History" is relevant to our world today.

Peter had goosebumps. He himself had forgotten how Tony Stark lost a son. It was amazing how his own hero had experienced loss not so different from Peter's own. Tony's parents were killed in an accident, and he lost his future wife and son when he was older. Ned passed the article to Peter, and he couldn't help but wonder if all heroes were doomed to have tragic backstories.

Peter looked at the main picture and caption of the article:

Anthony Edward Stark, Jr. _(Use[link](https://images.app.goo.gl/bE4LjB8WYe9epu899) if no image appears below)_

BORN: August 10, 2002

DISAPPEARED: September 12, 2004

Peter's blood ran cold as he looked at the picture and dates in the article. The little boy in the picture was achingly familiar. It was the same face of the little boy he saw sitting atop Mary Parker's lap in the picture on his own nightstand. And the date of birth was the exact same day as Peter's own birthday.

He took a steadying breath. It had to be a coincidence. It was impossible.

"Your parents didn't have any baby pictures," his mind told him. "Oh God…" Peter whispered to himself.

Ned turned to look at him. "You okay, Peter? You look really pale."

The teacher walked over. "Ned's right, Mr. Parker. Do you need to go to the nurse?"

"Umm... " Peter quickly passed the article to the girl sitting behind him. "Uh… yeah… I'm not feeling so well." Peter didn't wait for further permission. He simply grabbed his backpack and went straight for the nurse, hoping to be sent home. He needed to see that picture by his bed again. And he needed to see that picture next to one of Anthony Edward Stark, Jr.

He wouldn't be able to calm his racing mind until he could prove to himself that he was being crazy.

Because in no way could he ever be that missing kid. That was nuts! It was 100% coincidence that Peter Parker looked identical to Tony Stark's son. And it was totally by chance that they shared the same birthday. It just had to be!


	2. Pictures

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pictures and Faces

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BTW... this story takes place in 2017 (around the time that Spider-Man: Homecoming was released in theaters). I imagine that Peter is 15, which makes him born in 2002. I'm using the birthday that was shown on his passport in FFH of August 10. The day he is at school is September 12, 2017, and I imagine that it is the beginning of his sophomore year of high school. He is still attending Midtown School of Science and Technology.
> 
> Here we go. What will May have to say about the picture Peter saw in the article about Tony's missing son?

CHAPTER 1: PICTURES

May was surprised to get the call from Peter's school. She should've known that her nephew would be struggling after the past few days. Hell… she was struggling. She should've just kept him at home and let them both take a day to relax.

She sighed as she pulled her car up to Peter's school. She took a personal day from work, deciding it would be best for them both to have the opportunity to be at home. Besides, the school nurse seemed genuinely concerned about Peter's health. As a nurse herself, May figured he might need her to recover from whatever was causing him to feel ill.

May was let into the school building, where she found her nephew sitting in a chair in the office. He was waiting for her with his knees pulled up to his chest and his chin resting atop his knees. He was staring ahead with a blank, haunted look in his eyes. "Peter?" May asked, concern evident in the tone of her voice. Peter didn't respond. He just blinked, flicked his eyes in her direction, and then turned his eyes away again.

"You can sign Peter out here, Mrs. Parker," The school secretary told her. May quietly complied with the procedure to sign Peter out, all the while glancing back over at her nephew in concern.

May sighed and turned back to the pale teenager sitting behind her. "Hey tough guy…" she said, kneeling down so that she was eye level with him. "... you are looking a little green around the gills…" She offered a small laugh at her poor attempt at a joke, hoping to get some response from her nephew. It didn't work. He just blinked at her. She cleared her throat, "Ahem… okay. Why don't we get you home? How does that sound?"

Peter simply nodded before shooting up out of his chair and leaving the office ahead of May. He didn't even hold the door for her, which seemed totally out of character for him. May offered a quiet nod of thanks to the secretary before quickly following Peter as he left the building.

"Peter!" She called after him. "Slow down! Are you alright? What's going on? Do you think you might get sick?" She thought perhaps he needed to vomit. Why else would he run off so quickly?

They made it all the way to May's car before Peter finally stopped. Her nephew placed his hands on the roof of the car, gripping the roof like a lifeline. His breathing was fast and shallow, and it looked like he was on the verge of a panic attack.

"Oh… okay, honey… hold on." May immediately went to his side, rubbing the teenagers back. "Try to take some slow deep breaths for me, Peter. Come on… breathe with me. You can do it." She didn't miss the sideways glare he sent her way as he reluctantly complied with her request to take deeper breaths. May was beyond confused at this point. Was Peter angry with her? Perhaps he was just embarrassed to have his aunt display such open affection outside of the school. "Do you think you're ready to take a seat in the car? I have a bucket in case you feel you might get sick." May was always prepared for the worst when it came to illness. As a nurse, it was her job to be prepared.

Peter once again didn't respond. He just shrugged off May's hands, pulled the door open and plopped down in the passenger seat before slamming the door shut.

May blinked at him in surprise before rounding the car and entering the driver's side. As she closed her door, she looked at him and said, "Can you tell me what's going on, Peter?"

"No," He finally answered, looking straight out the front window and avoiding his aunt's eyes.

May contemplated whether or not to push, but she decided the car was not the place to prod Peter for more information. The ride home was quiet and the tension in the car was palpable. Something clearly had Peter rattled. She couldn't decide if it was connected to their rough week or not. She knew clearing out Ben's things would be hard for Peter, but it was hard for her as well. Plus, Peter had been so sweet to her that morning before leaving for school. She couldn't really understand what changed.

They finally parked the car out in front of the apartment. May had barely brought the car to a stop before Peter was hopping out and making his way to the elevator inside. May quickly exited the car after him, trotting to catch up. She made it to his side just as the elevator doors opened. They both shuffled in, and May looked closer at Peter. His face had more color now and red could be seen on his neck and face, his eyebrows drawn into a frown. So… he was definitely angry about something. May was tempted to ask him more questions right then, but decided it would be best to wait until they were in their apartment.

It wasn't long before May was opening their door and stepping inside. Peter immediately went for his room, slamming the door shut behind him. May even heard him lock the door.

"Okay… what the hell?" May was getting angry now, too. "Peter Benjamin Parker!" She called to him as she approached his door. "You need to talk to me…" She sighed and softened her tone. She couldn't raise her voice. Ben never raised his voice. "Please… Peter… please talk to me! What happened at school today?"

It was quiet on the other side of the door for a moment before Peter finally spoke. "Please… just… please leave me alone, May!" he pleaded through the door.

May sighed, raising a hand to Peter's door and caressing it, wishing she could be using her hand to offer some kind of reassurance to her nephew. She leaned her head against the door, listening for him on the other side. She took a step back a moment later, determination on her face. "Not until I know that you're okay. Something is wrong, Peter. I need to know what it is! You are my responsibility, damn it!"

"Maybe I shouldn't be!" Peter called back to her through the door.

Enough was enough. Patience wasn't exactly a strength for her. She quietly walked over to the closet and pulled a key out from a hook. She moved over to Peter's door, quickly unlocked it and stepped inside. "Guess what? Like it or not… I'm the one in charge of you, and I will make sure that you are okay… which you clearly ARE NOT! So tell me what is going on! Now, Peter!" She didn't exactly yell, but her voice was firm and full of determination. She made it very clear that she expected some answers.

Peter was sitting on his bed with his laptop open. He looked up at May and finally softened a little. He looked like he was deflating. It was as if whatever strength fueled his outburst was draining away in front of her very eyes. Peter's eyes met May's and she could see tears threatening to fall.

"Peter…" May quickly sat next to him on his bed, wrapping him in a hug. She didn't miss how Peter quickly slammed the laptop closed, preventing her from seeing what he was looking at. "What is it? Tell me what I can do to help."

Peter leaned into her hug, crying softly and doing his best to steady his breathing and keep some level of control. "May…" he spoke quietly. "I don't know what's going on… I don't know… I don't know what to think. I'm so confused. I think I'm going crazy."

May chuckled a little at the boy's quiet rambling. "You think you're going crazy? I'm most definitely going crazy right now. Sweetheart… What made you so upset? You mentioned you were confused… Talk to me."

Peter took a couple more breaths, looking up into his aunt's eyes. May watched as his eyes searched hers for a moment, as if he was looking for something there. Finally, Peter sighed and nodded his head, silently giving in to her pleas for more information.

Peter leaned forward and grabbed the picture of him sitting on Mary's lap. He looked at it for a moment before handing to May. "Who do you see?" he asked her quietly.

May was surprised by the question, surely Peter knew that they looked at this picture only the day before. They both knew who was in the photograph, but May decided to play along. "I see an adorable little Peter Parker sitting on his mother, Mary's, lap."

Peter nodded, "Right…" He turned the photo over to reveal a date that read February 2006. "I'm about 3 and half years old here, right?"

May nodded, "I guess. Peter…"

He cut her off opening his laptop and revealing the same picture of Anthony Edward Stark, Jr. that Flash had shown his classmates.

Anthony Edward Stark, Jr. _(Use[link](https://images.app.goo.gl/bE4LjB8WYe9epu899) if no image appears below). _

BORN: August 10, 2002

DISAPPEARED: September 12, 2004

May blinked at the photo before her eyes. "What? Peter… what?"

"Who do you see in this picture, May?" Peter insisted. He flipped the other photo back around for her to compare the 3 year old Peter to the 2 year old Stark boy.

May's mouth dropped open for a moment, but she quickly snapped it shut. She looked back and forth between the pictures, before settling her sight on the picture Peter had on his computer. She let out a steadying breath, "Peter… I see a picture of Tony Stark's missing son."

Peter nodded, holding out the picture of him with Mary Parker to her "And?" he asked, more insistent.

May finally understood… a little anyway. Peter thought he was the missing Stark. May let out a nervous laugh. "Peter… honey… I'll admit there is a striking resemblance, and it is definitely unsettling, but…" She looked up into her nephew's eyes. "...You can't really think that this is a picture of you?"

Peter studied her for a moment, desperately searching her eyes again. "Seriously, May? It's an identical match! I'm a little older in this picture with my m… um… with Mary, but…" Peter suddenly plopped the laptop down on the bed. He went over to his closet, pulling down the shoebox. He opened it quickly, dropping the lid to the floor as he pulled out some other pictures. He was searching for the earliest photo taken of him and his parents. He set a couple of pictures down on his bed, displaying them for May to look at. He pointed to one in particular. It was taken on Valentine's Day in the year 2005. A full year before the other photo of him with Mary. "I mean… just look at this May! If it's not me, then I'm this kid's long lost twin brother!" He began pacing in front of May and waving his hands wildly as he spoke, "Consider the evidence, May! The resemblance, the birth date…"

"Okay, but…" May tried to cut in but Peter kept going.

"Coincidence? Maybe… but think about this! I have no baby pictures with my parents, May. None! When did you first meet me?"

"Uh…" May's head was spinning, struggling to keep up. "Ben and I were dating. I think it was right before we got engaged?" There was a question in her voice as she frantically searched her memories and tried to remember.

Peter stopped and looked at her, "How old was I then, May?" He watched as the color started to drain from his aunt's face.

Her voice was quiet and it seemed like she was out of breath when she finally answered, "two."

"Do you remember when you met me, though? What month? Year?" Peter insisted, sounding eager to solve this puzzle.

May frowned in concentration as she tried to remember. "It was after Christmas. I remember we still had decorations up. Mary and Richard brought you over to Ben's old apartment. You played with the ornaments on his tree."

Peter looked thoughtful for a moment and then sat back down next to her on his bed. "So… you met me after September 12, 2004? You and Ben got engaged early in 2005, right? So what? You met me in December 2004?" Peter was desperately trying to put all of this information together.

May felt like she couldn't breathe. This was ridiculous. What Peter was proposing was absurd. She shook her head, "No… I mean… Yes… it was December 2004, but Peter…" She turned to look at him, taking a hold of his hands. "This is admittedly a crazy coincidence." She squeezed his hands and looked into his eyes with a look of desperation. "But you are Peter Benjamin Parker! Don't you think I would know if you were the missing son of Tony Stark? Surely Ben and I would've known about that!"

Peter studied her for a moment and looked like he was sorting through his own thoughts. "Maybe… or maybe… maybe you didn't know," Peter said quietly.

"I would know!" May insisted. Internally she was struggling. Was she trying to convince Peter of this or was she trying to convince herself?

Peter once again picked up the picture with Mary. "This is one of the last pictures I have with my mom, right? Their plane went down just before my fourth birthday? Right after you and Uncle Ben got married?" Peter's words came out as a question, needing confirmation from his aunt.

May nodded, "Yes. We had a funeral for them only days before celebrating your birthday. It was such a whirlwind, but Ben insisted we have a nice little party for you." She looked at him with a loving expression. "Ben wanted so badly to give you something good that year. He was so heartbroken about his brother, but he still baked you a cake and I hung streamers…" Her voice broke off at the memory. She remembered how excited little Peter was about the cake and colorful decorations, but she also remembered how confused the little boy was. He kept asking when his mommy and daddy were coming to the party. It had been so hard to explain what happened to Peter. He was so young. "You asked for your mom and dad, Peter. I remember. And I'm sure you meant Mary and Richard."

Peter nodded, "I'm sure I did. They were all that I knew then."

It was quiet as both Peter and May sorted through their frantic thoughts.

May shook her head some more, "This can't be real, Peter. It's too crazy. You're not Tony Stark's son. You can't be!"

Peter studied her, noticing tears that threatened to fall. "Are you sure, May? Because every bone in my body is telling me that this really could be me!" He pointed to the picture of the missing boy once again. "You can't tell me that you don't see how possible this is, May. The resemblance is too strong to be a coincidence."

Tears finally fell over her cheeks. "I can't lose you, too. Peter… this can't be."

Peter's eyes went wide, finally understanding his aunt's denial. If there was a chance that he was Tony's son, then there was a chance that he could be taken away from her. There was also a chance that she could get in trouble, especially if they didn't believe that she was unaware. He certainly didn't want anything to happen to May. He would be letting Ben down if he did. "No!" He finally said. "No, May… I would never let that happen. You'll never lose me." He looked back at the photo. "I mean… I don't know. Maybe this is nothing… maybe it isn't me."

May looked at the picture with him, studying it carefully. She wiped her eyes, "But it could be… you're not wrong." She looked thoughtful for a moment, "I always wondered who you took after. I always assumed you took after someone on Mary's side of the family."

Peter nodded in understanding. He remembered how confused he was when his class did a genetics unit at school. So many kids talked about the family resemblance; how they looked like a parent, a grandparent, or even an aunt or uncle. Richard and Mary Parker both had blue eyes, so different from Peter's brown ones. Mary had red hair and Richard had sandy blonde hair. His uncle very closely resembled his supposed father. And the pictures of his paternal grandparents yielded little resemblance as well. And while he didn't have pictures from his mother's side of the family, he didn't seem to fit their descriptions, either. May was right. He didn't really look like a Parker or a Fitzpatrick (his mother's side of the family).

Peter looked at May for a moment before opening a new tab. On a hunch, he entered a new search…

"Pictures of young Tony Stark"

What he found made May and Peter both gasp in surprise. This time a resemblance could be clearly identified. So much so that Peter quickly combined one of his own pictures with that of a younger Tony Stark.

_[Inspiration Photo](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/c7/7d/f2/c77df206977c889a451b14e5e84e3490.jpg) _

"Oh my god…" May whispered in a combination of horror and wonder.

"You're telling me…" Peter agreed. On another hunch he Googled, "Pictures of Jennifer DeVega"

[ _Second Inspiration Photo_ ](https://images.app.goo.gl/Kf892CY1G18bEA4G6)

Here the resemblance wasn't as clear, but May recognized the fair complexion and brown waves as that of her nephew. Her nephew could easily be seen as the combination of these two people.

"No way…" he breathed out. "May… I uh… I know her." Peter studied the shot of the beautiful woman. It looked like it was taken at some fancy event.

"You do?" May furrowed her brows in confusion. "I mean… it's not like her photo isn't displayed from time to time. Her murder is still one of the world's biggest mysteries. Maybe you saw her picture in a magazine or something."

Peter shook his head slowly. "It's not that you're wrong. I may have come across her picture, but… I'm uh… I'm pretty sure I've seen her somewhere else, too."

May looked at him in concern. "Honey… She died years ago. Where could you possibly see her?"

Peter lifted his eyes to his aunt, "I dream about her sometimes."

May's breath caught at that and she paled even more. "Are you sure, Peter? You would've been so young… I mean… if… IF she is your mother, you would've been only 2 years old when you last saw her."

"I know," Peter admitted quietly, looking back at the picture. "The mind is a funny thing. We don't really know what babies remember, but…" His eyes met May once again. "I've always wondered who the lady with brown hair was in my dreams. I thought maybe my mind was just somehow twisting your image. You two don't look so different. You looked a little like her back then."

May scoffed, "I wish."

"You're just as beautiful as she is Aunt May," Peter insisted.

May scrubbed a hand over her face, "Peter… listen to us. We're talking about this as if it is fact. We don't have nearly enough evidence. This is just… uh… you know… a theory."

Peter nodded in agreement, "A strong theory."

May stood up and put her hands on her hips, taking her turn to pace in Peter's room. "Okay… alright… we owe it to you to figure this out." She stopped to look at him, "Where do we go with this? What do we do next?"

Peter raised an eyebrow at her, "I'm sorry… is the adult seriously asking the teenager what to do in this situation?"

May scowled at him and tapped her foot in annoyance, "You know what I mean. You're the smart one here, kiddo. You know science and biology better than I do. How do we get evidence to either prove or disprove this theory?"

Peter sighed and gave a shrug, "Ultimately, the best thing would be DNA."

May clapped her hands together, "DNA...hmm… how can we get Stark's DNA? Oh! I know… I'll follow Stark and steal his coffee cup or something! That will give us DNA!"

Peter couldn't help the burst of laughter that escaped at the ridiculous suggestion. "Seriously? That will never work!" Peter told her.

"Why not?" May asked.

"What are we going to do, May? Walk into a police station with Tony Stark's coffee cup and tell them that we think I might be his son? Ask them to please run it through their lab? That would surely get you arrested! They'd think you were some kind of psycho stalker!" Peter told her, mildly amused.

"Oookaayy…" May drew out the length of the word as she thought some more. "Right… um… I don't guess your school would have that kind of equipment?"

"Nope," Peter confirmed. "It's just a school, Aunt May. We do have some pretty advanced tech, but nothing that would accurately confirm a paternity test." Peter shook his head and flopped back on his bed, bringing his hands up over his face. "What are we doing, May? What are we even talking about?! I told you… this is confusing and I think I'm going crazy!"

"Peter… I hate to admit this because… well, it means that I'm equally crazy, but I think you're right. There is something strange here, and we owe it to ourselves… and maybe even to Tony Stark… to look into this."

"We've hit a dead end," Peter whined on his bed. "What do you suggest I do, May? Walk into Stark Tower and ask Tony Stark himself to run a paternity test because I think I might be his long lost son?!"

May stopped for a moment and suddenly looked at Peter like a lightbulb went off in her head. "Oh my God… That's it!"

Peter sat up and looked at her in shock. "No! No, no, no… I was kidding, Aunt May. We are NOT doing that!"

"I know…" she rolled her eyes and threw up her hands. "Not that exactly, but Stark Tower is here in New York!"

"Yeah… and?" Peter asked carefully.

"...and, so you are you!" May explained. "I mean… it would be a bit of a hike to midtown Manhattan from here, but it's not too bad. Probably like 30 minutes on the subway."

Peter shut his eyes and shook his head, "May what are you talking about?"

"We get you into Stark Tower! All we need to do is find a reason for you to be there," she told him. She quickly sat back down and opened Peter's computer, "And it could be a way for you to meet Tony Stark. One look at you and he may just want to do a paternity test himself."

"Are you serious right now?" Peter watched as his aunt went to the website for Stark Tower. "May… the Avengers are in and out of that place. They don't just let anyone walk in there to see Tony Stark." Peter's mind was going a mile a minute. Maybe Peter Parker couldn't get in, but Spider-Man might be able to get an audience with Iron Man. Peter entertained that thought as he continued to watch his aunt struggle to navigate through the website. No… it couldn't be Spider-Man. He needed to find a way to do this as Peter Parker. Peter squinted at the screen as May was moving down a page. "Wait… May, scroll down," he told her. "What does that say?"

"Oh! It's a link to apply for an internship! That could work," May said in excitement.

Peter was getting excited as well. At least until he saw the requirements:

Must be 18 or older

Must be enrolled in an engineering program at an accredited institution

Must present original work to be considered

And in fine print, "Interns are not guaranteed to work with or meet Tony Stark or his affiliates."

"Hmm… they must get a lot of applicants who want to meet the Avengers," May admitted.

Peter growled in frustration, "There's no way I can pass as an 18 year old! Ugh! Way do I have to look so young for my age?"

May smiled at him, "Stop… you're adorable and perfect for your age!"

Peter gave her a small smile, "You're sweet, May… but that's not going to help me right now."

"You really want to do this, don't you?" May asked him.

"I mean… yeah. It could work. The only thing on that list that I can really do though is present something original. That's no problem," Peter told her.

May looked around Peter's room at the technology that he customized and programmed simply by dumpster diving. "You are incredibly smart and innovative." She blinked and stared off in the distance, "My god… one could argue that you're as smart as Tony Stark himself. Peter… this… geez… you really could be his son!"

Peter offered her a smile that didn't quite meet his eyes, "I know."

May looked even more determined, "Okay… so, we get you some college credentials! Maybe you're a younger looking 18 year old!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Call Ned," May told him. "Don't think I don't know exactly what that boy can do on a computer. I have no doubt he can whip something up! Besides, we just need it to be convincing enough to get you inside to present your work. If I know you… and I do… You'll have a project that will surely get Stark's attention in no time!"

"Are we really doing this, May?" Peter asked incredulously. "I mean… there are so many ways that this could go wrong."

"We're doing this… call Ned," May insisted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I picture Keira Knightley as Jennifer DeVega. Please see the links in the story to see the pictures that I imagine Peter and May looking at. I also tried to find a pic of Tom Holland that could be from when he was about 2, but I have no idea how old he actually is in the picture. It's all for inspiration, so hopefully it does the trick and helps with telling the story.


	3. Welcome to Stark Tower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter goes to Stark Tower to see if he can get an internship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time to bring Ned and some other favorite characters into this story.
> 
> Additionally, the Peter Parker in this story created his AI, Karen, by himself. As a matter of fact, he will be far more capable of creating his own Spider-Man tech in this story than what is shown in the movies.

CHAPTER 2: WELCOME TO STARK TOWER

Two weeks. It only took two weeks to pull it off. Peter told Ned everything. There wasn't much that the two friends didn't tell each other. After Ned discovered Peter's identity as Spider-Man and kept it a secret, Peter knew his friend could be trusted with this theory about Stark being his father.

Sure, Ned was shocked and didn't believe it at first. But after Peter showed him the pictures and explained the crazy timeline, Ned was just as curious to get to the bottom of what was happening. Before long, Ned was helping Peter with his application and faking credentials for a student at MIT. Credentials for Benjamin N. Smith. After all, if they looked up Peter Parker, they would find a high school kid. He needed an alias.

Peter recalled his conversation with Ned:

_"What's the 'N' stand for?" Peter had asked._

_"Ned, of course," his best friend told him._

_"Dude! You made my fake middle name 'Ned'?" Peter asked incredulously._

_"Obviously… I have to sign my work somehow," Ned told him._

_Peter shook his head and laughed, "Are you sure this will work?"_

_"Absolutely not!" Ned admitted._

_"Dude!" Peter whined, slapping his hand on his friend's arm in annoyance._

_"Hey, man! That hurts! Don't forget your own strength," Ned told him. But his friend was smiling, so Peter clearly hadn't hurt him. Ned chuckled, "It'll be fine. Besides… it just needs to work long enough to get you in the door and impress Mr. Stark with your genius!"_

_Peter sighed, "I probably won't even be presenting it to him personally."_

_"It'll be great! You'll have an answer to this mystery in no time!" Ned told him. "Oh… and when you find out that he's your dad, don't forget that I want to meet all of the Avengers!"_

_Peter laughed at that, "I think we're getting a little bit ahead of ourselves."_

_"Yeah… maybe," Ned held up his handiwork. A very convincing student ID for MIT and an equally convincing driver's license for Benjamin N. Smith, age 18._

_"You're the best, Ned!" Peter praised._

_Ned nodded and smiled, "Guy in the Chair."_

_They did their handshake and prepared to set the plan in motion._

Now, Peter was actually standing outside of Stark Tower. He couldn't believe how quickly he was called in to present to them. He supposed it was because he was using his own AI; he called her Karen. He created her to help him as Spider-Man, but they didn't need to know that. He knew if anything would get Tony Stark's attention, it would be someone who could create an AI just like him. He was using some of the first goggles he ever made as a way to access her. Sure, he had improved his design, but he didn't want them to see the newest model. That would surely give away his identity as Spider-Man. And he definitely wasn't ready for that.

Peter took a deep breath and entered the building. "Woah…" he looked around in amazement. The place was incredible. It was hard to believe that it had been rebuilt after the 2012 alien attack. It looked like it had never even been damaged. He was so busy taking it all in that he almost didn't register the security guard that approached him.

"Hey kid!" the man grumbled.

Peter turned around in surprise to find a large man with dark hair and eyes glaring at him. The man tapped his security badge, "No one walks around here without a badge, kid. What's your business here?"

"Oh… uhh… sorry," Peter looked at the name on the tag. It read 'H. Hogan: Head of Security.' Peter swallowed his nerves, "Uh.. I'm P- uh… Ben Smith, Mr. Hogan, sir.. I'm here about an internship." Peter hated how his voice shook with apprehension. He needed to be more confident. He wished that May could've been with him, but they decided that a college kid wouldn't show up to an interview with his aunt.

Happy Hogan studied the kid in front of him for a moment before nodding, "You check-in over here. Let's go."

Peter followed the grumpy head of security to a desk where they quickly checked him in and had an ID badge ready.

Happy nodded in a direction for Peter to follow, "Let's go, kid. Tony's waiting for you upstairs."

Peter froze, "What?"

Happy turned to look at him, clearly losing all patience. "Yeah… come on, chop chop. Boss doesn't like to be kept waiting."

Peter managed to move his feet and followed the man onto an elevator. As the door closed Peter muttered under his breath, "Oh my god… this is really happening."

Happy heard him and smirked, "Sure is, kid."

Peter gave a nervous chuckle, "Um… sorry. I just thought that prospective interns weren't guaranteed to meet Mr. Stark?"

Happy shrugged, "Guess it's your lucky day..." Happy glanced at Peter's own ID badge. "... Benjamin."

Before Peter knew it, the doors were opening and he was following Happy Hogan to meet the man who could very well be his father.

* * *

Tony was enjoying himself far too much. He couldn't wait to meet this kid.

"Tony…" Pepper's voice held a warning. "Promise me you'll take it easy on the kid, okay?"

Tony laughed, "Are you kidding? I'm going to give this kid a real wake-up call. Did he actually think that I wouldn't run facial recognition on the ID he sent in? What kind of primitive company does he think I run here?"

Pepper rolled her eyes. "He's probably just a high school kid who wants to meet his childhood hero! I don't understand why you had to drag him here at all!"

"Because Pep… If this fifteen year old actually made his own AI, then I totally want to meet him. And if he didn't, I want to know how he managed to make fake credentials and even hack into MIT to register himself as a student! I'm telling you, Pepper. This kid is special."

If only he knew how right he was.

Soon the elevator opened up to reveal a nervous Peter following Happy. "I brought the kid," Happy said, pointing over his shoulder.

Pepper and Tony were waiting in a conference room, sitting at a large and intentionally intimidating table. "Wonderful!" Tony praised, standing to walk towards the young man who looked rather like a deer caught in headlights.

Pepper cleared her throat in warning as Tony approached the teenager.

Tony lowered his glasses to the bridge of his nose and gazed over the rims at the boy in front of him while sticking out his hand, "Mr. Smith, was it?"

The kid stared dumbly at Tony's hand for a moment, looking completely stunned.

"You shake the hand, kid," Happy said, sounding bored and unamused.

"Oh… sorry, yeah!" Peter said, reaching forward to shake his hero's hand. He had admired Tony Stark long before he thought the man could be his father. It really made the whole thing all the more surreal.

Tony smiled as Peter finally grasped his hand in a firm handshake. "Strong grip," Tony praised.

"Oh! Sorry!" Peter told him.

"No problem, kid," Tony told him. He held Peter's hand a little longer, studying the kid in front of him. Tony could swear there was something familiar about the young man. Before the hand hold could become any more awkward, Tony quickly released the hand and took a step back, clearing his throat.

Peter shuffled from side to side awkwardly.

Tony raised a hand toward the table. "Let's take a seat, shall we? You can sit across from me, Mr. Smith."

There was something about the way Tony Stark said the name that made Peter suspicious. "Oh god… he knows something. Does he know who I am? Peter Parker? Spider-Man? His own son?" Peter's mind was racing and it felt like his heart was about to burst out of his chest.

Pepper must have noticed his discomfort, "Take it easy, Tony. It's not every day that a young man gets to meet Iron Man. Stop being so intimidating."

Tony smiled at her and nodded in her direction as he talked to Peter, "You may have heard of Pepper Potts? She acts as CEO nowadays. Best decision I ever made… aside from dating her, of course!"

"Tony!" She scolded again.

Peter just smiled awkwardly at her.

"And you met my Head of Security… Happy Hogan! Doesn't act very happy though, does he?" Tony asked.

"He's great, Mr. Stark," Peter answered nervously. Peter was now sitting across from Tony Stark at a very large and expensive looking table. Tony was studying Peter, looking at him like a predator ready to pounce. The man was definitely up to something. "Wow… uh… the head of security, the CEO, and Tony Stark himself. I must be dreaming." Peter tried to joke.

"Psh… You'll wish you were," he heard Happy mutter over in the corner. Peter wouldn't have heard it if it weren't for his enhanced hearing.

Peter swallowed hard. This was bad.

"Oh… I assure you, Mr. Parker," Tony smiled mischievously. "We're all really here."

It took Peter a moment for the words to register, but then his eyes flew open in surprise. "Oh shit!" Peter cursed internally.

Tony's smile only grew, "Kid… I have the most advanced tech in the world. Did you really think I wouldn't catch on that a high school kid from Queens was applying for an internship at my company? Hmm… Peter Parker?"

Peter felt like he was going to be sick. He tried to speak but no sound came out. He didn't know what to do. If the man knew, then why did he even call Peter to come in? It made no sense. Did he know other things about Peter?

Happy let out a laugh from the corner of the room, "I think you broke him, boss."

Peter shook his head, trying to recover. "No… I'm so sorry. I uh… I can explain… maybe… uh… It's complicated."

Tony raised an eyebrow, glancing over at Pepper and then back to Peter, "Uncomplicate it."

It was such a simple statement to a problem that was anything but simple. Peter's mind raced again. Did he tell him about being a fan as Peter Parker? That seemed so lame. Did he tell him about being Spider-Man? He wasn't ready for anyone else to know that secret yet. Did he tell him that he thought he was his long lost son? Nope. Definitely too soon for that.

"We're waiting, Peter," Pepper spoke up.

Peter looked at her. She looked more amused than anything else. They all did, really. What game were they playing here? This was anything but a game to Peter. He could feel so many emotions welling up inside of him, and he suddenly felt the urge to jump out of the window and swing away.

Nope… that would definitely give him away as Spider-Man.

"Uhhh…" Peter looked around at the adults, shaking his head. "I shouldn't be here. I'm so sorry. I should go."

Peter made a move to stand, but Tony stopped him.

"Did you really develop an AI?" He asked.

Peter stopped, forcing himself to settle back into the chair. "Uh… yes," Peter answered nervously.

"Why Benjamin?" Tony suddenly asked, changing subjects. "I mean Smith was an obvious choice, but what made you choose the first name?"

"Benjamin… or uh… Ben was my Uncle's name," Peter answered honestly. There was no sense lying now. "Um… and my middle name," he added. They probably already knew so much about him. Or did they? Were they suspicious about his parentage?

"Okay…" Tony mused. "What's the 'N' stand for?"

Peter vaguely realized that this part of the conversation was partly to break the ice. Peter laughed a little at that question, and the sound of it made Tony smile. "Um… that's Ned. He's the friend who helped me with the fake credentials for MIT."

"MIT was a bold choice. That's my old stomping ground, so I could easily reach out to my contacts to tell them about the breach," Tony told him.

Peter paled a little at that, "Oh! No… I asked him to do it. I don't want him to get in any trouble. This was all me!" He didn't want either Ned or his aunt to be implicated in this little charade.

Tony's eyes twinkled, as if pleased with that response. "Look at you. Not throwing anyone under the bus then, huh?"

"No sir," Peter answered quickly. "This is my fault."

"But your reason for being here…" Tony said carefully, "...is complicated."

Peter swallowed nervously and answered as honestly as he could, "I just wanted to find a way to meet you, Mr. Stark."

Tony beamed. That must have been the right answer.

"Oh please," Happy muttered from the corner.

Pepper just gave Peter a sweet smile.

"That doesn't sound too complicated," Tony told him.

Peter didn't say anything to that. He just shrugged and looked down at his hands like they were the most interesting thing in the room.

Tony cleared his throat, "Well, kid. You made it! You made it here and got my attention. All of our attention, actually. We've never had a high school kid get this far. You almost had us, really. The application was solid. The specs you submitted for your AI were impressive. They must be teaching you a lot down there at Midtown Tech."

Peter looked at him, only slightly surprised that Tony knew the name of his school. The glint in the older man's eyes told Peter he was enjoying this whole thing. He was definitely amused. Peter couldn't decide if that was good or bad.

Tony studied him some more, "Unless another friend created that project for you, too?"

"No, no!" Peter assured him. "Karen is all mine."

"Karen?" Tony questioned.

"That's what I call her… my AI. I call her Karen." Peter shrugged. "She's great."

Tony smirked, "That the name of some girl you have a crush on or something?"

"Tony!" Pepper said in warning.

Peter smiled. "No… I thought about naming her after this one girl I like, but… um… that just seemed weird."

"Wow! Okay… I was joking, but alright." Tony told him.

"I just liked the name," Peter admitted.

Pepper smiled and spoke up, "Peter… I do have to make Tony do some work today. Why don't you show Karen to us?"

"Yeah kid, we don't have all day here!" Happy once again grumbled from the corner.

"Oh, sorry!" Peter said, nervously opening his bag and pulling out the goggles.

"You say that a lot," Tony told him. "No need to apologize. These two are just impatient. I make them wait all the time."

"He does," Pepper admitted. "He's the worst at keeping track of time. The fact that he was here on time today just proves how eager he was to meet the bright kid from Midtown."

Peter blushed at the compliment. This all seemed too good to be true.

"Yeah well… it's not every day that a teenager thinks he can pull one over on me. I had to see him for myself." Tony looked at Peter, "Let's see this Karen, yeah?" He held out his hand for Peter to turn over the goggles.

Tony picked them up and studied them. "Really? They're kinda heavy… a little chunky… certainly not discreet."

Peter swallowed nervously as he watched the man lift them up towards his eyes.

"Lordy… how do you see out of these things? Woah!" He held them up and glanced over at Pepper, looking a little bit like a minion as he held the eye pieces up.

"Be fair, Tony! They're not going to work if you just hold them up. Put them on!" Pepper insisted.

Happy was in the corner pulling up his smartphone, "Yeah boss, I want to see how they look on you."

"Hey, hey!" Tony pointed an accusing finger at Happy. "You take a picture and you get demoted. Got it? You'll be going from Head of Security to Tour Guide in no time!"

Peter couldn't help but chuckle at the adults in the room. They hardly seemed to be acting like adults at all.

Tony offered him a smile, seeming pleased by the teenager's laughter. "Alright, let's see what you've got, kid." Tony secured the goggles around his head. "Wow! Yeah… hello there, Karen."

The others couldn't hear the AI's voice, but Tony clearly could.

"Yeah, alright. Show me what you can do, Karen." Tony looked around the room a little. "Yep, okay. Got it. Uh huh. Good. Great!" It was less than a minute and Tony pulled the goggles off.

Peter frowned, "That's it?"

"I saw enough," Tony told him.

"Oh," Peter put his head down in disappointment.

"It's good, kid," Tony told him.

Peter's head shot up at that, "Really? I mean… it could be better. It's like you said, the material is chunky and awkward, but I can work on that."

"Oh yeah," Tony agreed. "I'm sure I have something that you could use in my lab to make it more comfortable. Those goggles are so constricting. What do you use them for, anyway? Navigation?"

"Yeah, pretty much. I…" Peter stopped. Suddenly realizing something else that Mr. Stark had said. "Wait… um… in your lab? Like… uh… I can work in your lab?"

Tony shrugged, "That's generally where interns work... in the lab."

Peter's jaw dropped. "You're actually going to let me be an intern here? After everything?"

Even Pepper seemed a little surprised at this, and Happy definitely made a noise of disapproval from the corner.

"Sure. Why not, kid? You impressed me." Tony stood up from the table and straightened out his sport coat. Peter just now realized the man was wearing the coat with jeans and an ACDC t-shirt. It was remarkably casual and laid back.

"I did?" Peter asked in confusion, looking up at the man curiously.

Tony sat on the top of the table so that he could stare down at Peter. "There is still one thing I need to know first… like… why are you really here? I mean come on… no way it's because you just wanted to meet me. No one goes through all this trouble just to meet someone."

Peter gulped audibly. "I did."

"Clearly," Tony rolled his eyes. "But why?"

Peter almost wanted to tell the truth. But it just seemed so ridiculous. How could he tell the man looking down at him that he thought he was the son taken away from him years ago? So, instead… he told him something else that was true, hoping it would be enough.

"You saved my life," Peter told him. "Twice, actually."

Both of Tony's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Do tell."

"Umm… well, Mr. Stark. I've looked up to you since you first became Iron Man. And I researched all about your arch reactor technology. I thought your stuff was so cool! And those robots you made when you were young! I wanted to do that, too. So, you see… My aunt and uncle saved money to take me to the Stark Expo in 2010. I think I was seven or eight at the time." Peter shrugged.

"You did all that research before you were about 7 or 8?" Tony asked in surprise. His eyes grew even wider as he realized something else. "You were at that expo in 2012? The one where Hammer went nuts and all those drones were trying to kill people?!" Tony asked in mild horror.

Peter let out a nervous laugh, "That's the one. You see… I had this plastic helmet and gauntlet that my uncle bought for me, and I wanted to be just like you…"

Tony suddenly pulled the glasses from his face and dropped them down on the table. "You're the kid! You're that kid!"

Pepper and Happy sent each other confused looks.

"Uh… if you mean I'm the dumb kid that thought he could intimidate a drone with my plastic Iron Man gear, then… yes, I'm that kid," Peter clarified.

Tony squinted his eyes at Peter, "If you're that kid. What did I say to you after I blasted the drone?"

Peter smiled, "You told me 'Nice work, kid!'"

"You really are that kid! No way!" Tony offered Peter a bright smile.

Peter didn't fail to notice how much Tony's genuine smile mirrored his own. His heart longed to prove that Tony Stark was his father. Every ounce of him was hoping it was true with each passing second.

"You said he saved you twice," Pepper spoke up.

"Oh… well, the second time was when he stopped that nuke from hitting the city when the aliens arrived in 2012. No way my aunt, uncle, and I could've survived that hit," Peter said.

Tony's face sobered at the mention of the alien attack. "Ah… yeah, well. That was a crazy time." He studied Peter for a moment. "You keep mentioning your aunt and uncle. You don't live with your folks?"

Peter swallowed nervously once again. "Actually, I live with just my aunt now. My uncle died six months ago, and my parents were killed in a plane crash when I was really little."

"Shit," he heard Happy curse from the corner.

Tony blinked in surprise, and Peter didn't miss the look of sincere sorrow in Tony's eyes. If anyone else could understand significant loss, it was Tony Stark. "I'm sorry to hear that, kid. What happened to your uncle?"

"He was shot during a robbery," Peter answered honestly, not bothering to mask the genuine sorrow in his own voice when he spoke.

Tony looked away for a moment, swallowing hard. "Damn. Sorry Iron Man couldn't help that day, kid."

Peter frowned, "It's okay. You can't save everyone." It was my responsibility to save him, Peter thought sadly.

Tony stood up quickly, clearing his throat. "Well then… how about I give you a quick tour and Happy will set you up with a badge? Yeah? How does that sound? You can start next Monday. Two days a week work for you? How about Monday and Wednesday? You'll report directly to me so that we can get Karen squared away."

Peter blinked in surprise. Unsure if he was hearing the older man correctly. "Just like that?"

Tony smiled, turning and gesturing for Peter to follow, "Just like that, kid. Come on."

Peter beamed, completely surprised by how things had turned out. He quickly scooped up the goggles, grabbed his bag, and followed the man likely to be his father towards the elevator.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That was quick. Just what does Tony see in Peter that made him grant Peter the internship?
> 
> More mystery ahead. Some secrets may or may not be revealed. There will be things that may or may not be a misdirect. You decide.


	4. Theories and Facts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What theories surround the disappearance of Tony's son?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, we'll see just how much May and Ned worry about Peter. We also learn a little more about that fateful night in September 2004.

CHAPTER 3: THEORIES AND FACTS

May couldn't believe that she had actually let this happen. What was she thinking? Ben would be so disappointed. He was always the voice of reason. May was the rebel. It's what made them work so well as a couple; they balanced one another out. Her nephew was currently lying his way into Stark Tower as she paced around her kitchen lying to the mother of Peter's best friend, who was watching her nervously from her living room couch as she talked to his mother on the phone.

"No, Mrs. Leeds. It's really no problem. I'm a nurse, so I don't mind taking care of the boys. I'm sure this stomach bug will pass in no time," May talked into her phone.

For dramatic effect, Ned was adding in some retching sounds from the couch, earning an eye roll from May as she continued to talk to his mother on the phone.

"I'm sure he'll be fine. Yes… I'll keep an eye on the boys overnight, too. I'd hate for you or your other kids to catch this. It's pretty nasty," she couldn't believe she was deceiving Ned's mother so easily. Yes… Ben would one hundred percent disapprove. "Of course. I'm going to check on the boys now and see if I can get them settled in for some rest. I'll make sure Ned calls you later. Uh huh… sure… bye bye!" She quickly hung up the phone and looked over at Ned, her face etched with guilt.

Ned smiled, "That was awesome! You're the best, May!"

She shook her head and ran a hand through her long brown hair, "I don't know about that." She went over to join him, plopping down on the couch and putting her head in her hands. "Oh god… what am I doing?"

Ned awkwardly patted her on the back, unsure of how to offer her any kind of reassurance. "You're helping Peter. We're both helping Peter."

She lifted her head to look at him doubtfully. "Really? This is helping him? Lying about the two of you being sick so that you can play hooky from school?" She stood up, throwing her hands in the air and pacing as she continued. "Making excuses for him to lie his way into an unlikely internship? All so my nephew can see if maybe… just MAYBE see if he could somehow be the missing son of Tony Stark?" She gave Ned a desperate look. "This was the wrong way to go about this. Peter's going to get caught. He's going to get in trouble! Lies only make things worse! What would Ben say, huh?" She was talking faster and faster, rambling as her panic surfaced.

Ned just continued to stare at the woman as she paced and talked wildly with her hands. "I'll tell you one thing, Ned. Ben wouldn't have let things get this far. He would've been able to find a better solution! A truthful solution! Oh lord… I don't know what I'm doing!" She stopped and looked at Ned. "I'm supposed to be taking care of Peter! How could I let him walk into the lion's den like this?"

Ned raised an eyebrow at her, "I really don't think Stark Tower is like a lion's den. It's the home base of the Avengers after all!"

May dropped her hands down and held them out to her side. "Exactly! He's never going to get away with this! They'll know everything! What if he gets arrested?"

Ned shook his head. Internally, he was thinking about his friend being Spider-Man. If anything were discovered about Peter, it was likely to be his alter ego. He realized May was quietly studying him and waiting for a response, likely worried that Ned was thinking through the possibility that Peter would be locked up by the police. "Oh… uh… I'm sure that won't happen," he told her quickly.

She plopped back on the couch, picking up her tablet and hopping on the internet. Ned noticed she was pulling up the news. "Well… one thing is for sure. If anything were happening at Stark Tower, like police activity, the news would be reporting it. Reporters watch that place like a bunch of hawks!"

Ned nodded in agreement, silently reading the headlines as she scrolled. There was nothing about Spider-Man at the tower, either. That was also a good sign.

The two sat quietly for a moment. Ned broke the silence with an unexpected question, "What do you remember about the kidnapping of Mr. Stark's son?"

May looked up at him in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"I was too young," Ned explained. "I don't know a whole lot about it. I've only heard the conspiracy stories that have surfaced over the years."

May looked thoughtful for a moment. "I don't know… it seems like so long ago. I remember it was all over the news for weeks!" She shook her head and shuddered. "What happened to his fiance was awful. I remember them showing images of an electrical cord… like from a lamp or something" She looked up at Ned. "That's how they say she was killed. Strangled with a cord while trying to help her son."

Ned swallowed hard, reaching up to rub his own throat at the mention of strangulation. "That's so sad. Were there any theories at the time? I mean other than the crazy theories that people talk about now?"

May shook her head. "It was all pretty mysterious. No fingerprints at the scene other than from the Stark family and friends. No blood. Just an empty crib with the child's mother dead on his nursery floor."

Ned was quiet for a moment, pondering the seriousness of the situation. That could have been his friend's mother. He shuddered just thinking about it. If Jennifer DeVega truly was Peter's mother, then Peter lost 2 mother figures and 2 father figures. Each one meeting a brutal end. It didn't seem fair.

May sighed and continued, "Honestly, the most popular theory at the time was that he was taken for ransom, but… Stark never received any demands." She looked over at Ned. "None that were reported anyway."

Ned nodded, "Not much to go on. No wonder people have generated their own theories over the years."

"I don't really pay attention to those," May admitted. "What exactly do people say happened?"

Ned looked a little uneasy at the question. "Well… the most popular one is that Mr. Stark played a role."

May looked uncomfortable, "What?!" That surprised her. "No way! I remember him going on the news and pleading for anyone who could to help. He sounded so sincere. So worried."

"I believe you, but you know how people are… everyone is so willing to believe the worst about people," Ned told her.

"Even Iron Man?" She questioned with a wry laugh. "Surely, Iron Man can do no wrong! Not in the eyes of the public."

"Well… that's probably why people don't talk much about that theory anymore. I only learned about it on the internet," Ned told her.

"Right… because everything on the internet is true," May noted sarcastically.

Ned laughed. "I know, right? It was a pretty scary theory, though."

May looked thoughtful for a moment. "Alright… you have my attention. Let me hear it. What's this scary theory?"

Ned looked oddly excited by the question, eager to tell May the dirty gossip. He turned his body to face her and began to talk excitedly. "Right! So, you know how Mr. Stark and Miss DeVega were only engaged? Apparently, they were engaged for, like, 5 years. No one could understand what was taking so long! Rumors were that they couldn't agree on a prenup, so they kept putting off the wedding. Then, along comes Peter… uh… I mean Tony Jr… sorry. We don't actually know if they're the same person." Ned blushed a little at the slip.

May waved her hand dismissively. "Go on…"

"Okay… People say that it had to do with Stark Industries. Like, maybe Mr. Stark didn't want to share his wealth or his company with a wife and kid! Some people think there was no evidence because Mr. Stark took care of them himself!"

May shook her head. "That's stupid! Everyone knows he had an alibi that night. He was in a shareholders meeting with like a dozen other people!"

"Yeah, but he could've paid someone to do it… or I mean that's what some people say," Ned corrected himself. He didn't really want to believe this story, but he had to admit that anything was possible. No matter how much he didn't buy it. The theory made some sense.

May frowned. "That is a truly awful theory. I mean… I see how it could hold water, but I don't buy it. Tony Stark may not be my favorite person. He hasn't always been the most wholesome figure, but I don't see him as the type who would kill his son and fiance."

Ned looked a little sheepish and guilty, as if he was about to regret his next words. "Unless…"

"Unless what?" May prompted.

"Well… I mean, and I'm totally playing devil's advocate here, but what if he only had his fiance killed? Tony Jr. disappeared and was presumed dead! Maybe he gave Pet… or uh Tony Jr. to another family! One who would raise him as someone who wouldn't have any claim to his company!" Ned looked to be an odd mixture of guilty and excited with the presentation of this idea.

May's mouth dropped open. It wasn't the most far fetched idea. If Peter was Stark's son, there was still the mystery of how he came to be with Richard and Mary, and May had a really hard time believing that they were ever a part of a kidnapping conspiracy. Not directly anyway. She shook her head, "This isn't helpful, Ned. I'm trying to help my nephew. I don't want to think that I could be putting him in harm's way."

"Oh… I mean on the slim chance that this could be true, I'm sure Mr. Stark has changed his ways now that he is Iron Man. I don't think he would ever hurt Peter." Ned clarified, not really doing anything to help May's nerves.

While she thought the likelihood of Ned's scenario was, in fact, slim. The implications were terrifying. What if Tony did recognize Peter? Not as a son that was lost but as a son that he gave away?

It was at that moment that Peter decided to come barrelling through the door in excitement, "May! May! You'll never believe what happened!"

Both Ned and May jumped up and looked at Peter, clearly startled by his sudden entrance.

Peter gave a surprised look at Ned, "Ned? What are you doing here? Didn't you go to school today?"

Ned shrugged and gave Peter a sly smile, "Oh yeah… If anyone asks, you and I were out sick with the stomach flu today. And May took care of us being the good nurse that she is."

"Um…" Peter shook his head and shrugged. He didn't really want to waste any more time worrying about him and his friend skipping school. If May was cool with it, then there was nothing to worry about. "Yeah… sure… fine… whatever! You guys aren't going to believe this!"

"It worked?" May asked excitedly.

"They bought the college student story?" Ned added with equal excitement.

Peter gave them a huge smile and answered them in a way that seemed completely at odds with his own enthusiasm. "Not at all! They totally knew I was lying!" Peter continued to smile at them, beaming with joy.

"What? Then why are you smiling?" May asked him.

"Because I met him! I met Tony Stark!" Peter was practically vibrating with excitement.

Ned's eyes looked like they were about to pop out of his head. "You met Iron Man? No way!"

May held out her hands as if signaling for Peter to stop. "Woah… wait! Go back… How did they know you were lying? What happened?"

Peter continued to smile, dropping his bag and moving over towards the living room to stand with Ned and May. He plopped down in a chair, motioning for Ned and May to sit down as well. Peter leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees and continuing to talk excitedly with his hands out in front of him. "Apparently, they run facial recognition on their applicants. Can you believe that?"

May's mouth dropped open. "Did they… did your face match with Stark's son?"

Peter frowned, taking a moment to think. "Uh… no. During a tour of the tower, Mr. Stark said it matched with my student ID at Midtown. He greeted me as Mr. Parker when we met." His frown deepened, "Do you think it should have yielded a match? Maybe I've got this all wrong."

"I don't know, Peter. I think it would only match if Mr. Stark was actively looking for it." He glanced over at May, "Unless he always knew who Peter Parker was…"

"Oh, Ned! Stop!" May scolded, swatting his leg with the back of her hand.

"Dude, what are you talking about?" Peter asked in confusion.

"Ignore him," May said, rolling her eyes. Now was not the time for Ned to discuss his consiracy theory with Peter, so she redirected the conversation. "So, I'm confused. How did all of this lead to meeting Stark?"

Peter laughed, shaking his head in disbelief. "He said he wanted to meet the teenager who thought he could pull one over on him. Plus, he wanted to see if I really had created an AI. He likes the spec and details I provided." He looked up at Ned. "He was pretty impressed with how good the credentials looked, too. He was impressed by your computer skills, Ned. He promised not to report the breach to MIT."

Ned's eyes grew impossibly larger. "You told Iron Man about me?"

Peter nodded and smiled at his friend's excitement.

"No way!" Ned said, bouncing in his seat. "That is so awesome! Does he want to meet me, too? Can I help the Avengers? I can be their Guy in the Chair, just like I am for you!"

May chuckled at the boy next to her, "What is a Guy in the Chair?"

Peter sent a warning glare to Ned, "It's nothing, May. It's just a little joke between me and Ned. He's my computer guy, you know? He'd like to be that for the Avengers, I guess. Right, Ned?"

His best friend blushed, realizing his mistake. He often forgot that May didn't know about Spider-Man.

"Sorry, Ned. I'm sure that Tony Stark already fills that role for the team." May shook her head and laughed some more.

"But do you think I could still meet him?" Ned asked, looking hopeful.

Peter shrugged. "Maybe… I could ask him." He smiled at them and added, "I mean I will be seeing him twice a week when I start my internship." He wagged his eyebrows at them, clearly pleased with himself.

"You got it? They still gave it to you?" May squealed happily. "Why?"

"You were right, Aunt May. The ruse only needed to last long enough for Mr. Stark to see what a genius I am," Peter smiled at her.

She smirked at him, "Did I say you were a genius?"

"He's totally a genius," Ned said with a proud smile towards his best friend.

"This is amazing… but wait… start over!" May told him. "Tell me everything from the beginning. I want to hear exactly how this happened!"

Peter smiled and started talking to them about the moment he entered Stark Tower. He described how he met Happ Hogan, the Head of Security. Pepper Potts, the CEO. And of course he told them about meeting the one and only Tony Stark. He also described how Tony gave him a personal tour of the labs and showed him around the tower.

"He told me that I start on Monday! Can you believe it? And I get to work personally with him!  
Peter said in excitement.

May looked skeptical, "Really? Does he do that for all interns?"

Peter shrugged. "I just think I really impressed him. He told me he's never met someone as young as me who understands science and engineering. Other than himself, of course."

May and Ned shared a look.

"What?" Peter asked them.

"Dude, are you sure he doesn't suspect something? Maybe he's just as curious about you as you are about him?" Ned suggested.

"Did he give any indication that you reminded him… you know… maybe too much of himself?" May added.

Peter frowned in concentration, thinking back to his time with Mr. Stark. "Uh… no. He didn't. He was just really impressed with me… Peter Parker. Is that bad?"

May smiled, getting up and walking over to embrace Peter in a hug. "Of course not! Peter Parker is absolutely perfect! Maybe this is for the best. This whole thing was just a crazy theory, right? You have the opportunity of a lifetime, Peter. Enjoy it!"

Peter gave her a hug in return and a half smile. "I can't forget the whole reason this started, May. I still have a lot of questions, and Mr. Stark is the only one who can help me find the answers."

May nodded, looking a little disappointed. Peter guessed she really wasn't interested in finding out if Peter wasn't truly her relative. May's attention was suddenly drawn to the clock. "Shit!" she exclaimed. "I'm going to be late for work!" She rushed over to grab her coat, keys, and purse. "Peter… we'll talk about this some more later, okay?" She came over to place a quick kiss on his cheek. She glanced between him and Ned, "You boys behave. Remember, you're supposed to be sick, so stay here. You can order delivery and get something to eat. There should be enough money in my dresser."

The boys watched as May hustled around quickly gathering up her things. "Alright, boys. What a day, huh?" She smiled at them, her hand now on the door. "We'll talk more later. I wish I didn't have to go, but I can't really afford to miss another shift. You boys have fun!" She blew them a kiss as she hustled out the door.

"That was quick," Ned commented.

Peter smiled, "She's always running late. She often leaves for work like that."

The boys smiled at one another, each one taking a few moments to collect their thoughts.

"So…" Ned broke the silence. "Did Iron Man know anything else about you?"

Peter gave his friend a confused look, "Like what?"

"You know…" Ned held out his hands, palms up, and brought his ring and middle fingers towards his wrists while making a thwip sound with his mouth.

Peter's eyebrows shot up in understanding, "No. No way. He doesn't know about that either."

"Bummer," Ned commented. "That would be so cool!"

Peter laughed at him. "Maybe. I'm not sure how he would respond to that. I don't think too many adults would be pleased to learn that a teenager is running around chasing down guys with guns."

Ned laughed nervously, "Yeah, but they don't always have guns, right? I mean… sometimes you're just pulling cats out of trees?"

Peter cleared his throat, "Uh… yeah. Sometimes."

"Dude, you cleared your throat and your voice went up at least an octave. Those are both your tells! You're not being completely honest! Peter, how often do you fight people with deadly weapons?" Ned asked, clearly concerned for his friend.

"Relax, Ned." Peter shrugged, shifting to stand and moving towards May's room. "I know how to handle myself."

Ned watched after his friend as he entered his aunt's room, presumably to get some money for food. Doubt was written all over his face while Peter was out of the room. He really didn't like to think about his friend being in dangerous situations… Spider-Man or not. Sure enough, Peter returned with some money, pulling out his cell phone as he made his way back to Ned.

"So what'll it be? Pizza or Thai?" He asked Ned.

"Uh… Pizza's good," Ned told him.

As Peter was using an app on his phone to order delivery, Ned thought more about how crazy his friend's life was. Could it be possible that his best friend was both Spider-Man and Tony Stark's lost son? It seemed crazy to think about.

"Peter?" Ned asked him, sounding noticeably worried.

Peter heard the concerned tone of his friend's voice and looked up at him. "Yeah, Ned?"

"Promise me something, okay?" Ned insisted.

"Okay," Peter answered with uncertainty

Ned swallowed thickly, "If things start to go bad, like, if you think you're in danger… uh… can you please call me? Or someone? I mean… either with Mr. Stark or as Spider-Man… I don't want you to get hurt."

Peter's eyes softened as he looked at his best friend. "I'll be careful, Ned. I swear."

With that, Peter lifted his hand to do their secret handshake. It was a silent way to bind that promise. It was also Peter's way of letting Ned know that he appreciated his concern. He truly couldn't ask for a better friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ned Leeds is a good bro.
> 
> There is still so much that is unknown. What theories from that night are factual and what is just pure fiction? Read on to find out!


	5. First Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Onward (see what I did there? You know... because it's the title of another Tom Holland film? Never mind.)
> 
> In this chapter, we are going to see a familiar character. In the films, he doesn't appear until Far From Home, but I want to bring him earlier because...
> 
> Yeah right... I can't tell you that! Do you really think I'm going to give away all my secrets? This is supposed to be a mystery after all!
> 
> Anyway... I hope you like it. It's a little shorter, but I think it includes all the important bits.

CHAPTER 4: FIRST DAY

Monday arrived in the blink of an eye. Peter once again stood outside of Stark Tower, looking up at it in awe. He couldn't believe he was actually here. His school day seemed to go on forever, and Ned kept scolding him for looking at the clock and being so impatient. Peter took a deep breath, pulled back his shoulders, and finally made his way back inside. This time, he immediately went over to sign in. This time, he was presented with a permanent badge to keep. It would allow him to go in and out of the building as he pleased.

Peter couldn't help but to admire it: _(Use[link](https://pin.it/24tgSFl) if image does not appear below)._

The picture wasn't great, but that didn't matter. He was officially an intern for Mr. Stark.

Peter was so busy admiring the badge, that he accidentally found himself running into someone.

"Woah there!" A man scolded him.

"I'm so sorry," Peter apologized quickly. He studied the man he had run into. He was tall, with dark hair and light colored eyes. His hair was combed back neatly and he had a nicely trimmed beard. Peter glanced at the other man's name tag. It identified him as "Quentin Beck."

"Umm… Mr. Beck, sir. I apologize. That's my fault," Peter gave a nervous laugh and held out his tag for the other man to read. "First day… I guess I'm not making the best first impressions."

Beck studied Peter for a moment, looking from Peter to his badge. "Parker, huh? You look a little young to be an intern."

"Yeah… uh, I get that a lot," Peter told him.

Beck raised an eyebrow, "A lot? I thought it was your first day?"

"I mean… People often mistake me for being younger. You know?" Peter explained.

"Relax, kid, I'm just messing with you," Beck offered Peter a smile, a hint of humor in his eyes. "You're a little jittery aren't ya?"

"Ha… I'm just nervous," Peter confessed.

The man laughed a little, "You'll be fine. Maybe I'll see you around. I'm a pretty big deal around here." The man spoke with so much confidence that Peter had no reason not to believe him.

"What do you do?" Peter asked curiously.

Beck looked around at the others as if to be sure no one could hear him. "It's kinda on the down low, but Stark has me working on something pretty big. He's scheduled to present it to a group at MIT in the spring. It's going to revolutionize how we see and interact with the world around us."

"Huh… sounds interesting," Peter commented. He was starting to get bored with conversation. He wanted to find Mr. Stark. He didn't want the man to think he was late on his first day.

"My own design, too," Beck told him.

A new voice joined their conversation. "Is it now?" Mr. Stark questioned, eyeing Beck warily. "Quentin… already telling tales to my new intern, are you?"

Beck frowned, "Not at all, Tony. I'm merely telling this young man here about my…"

Tony waved a hand at him dismissively, "Yeah, yeah… I'm sure you're very busy. Why don't we let you get back to work? I'll just escort my intern to the lab. Clocks a-ticking and we have lots to do, so… bye bye now."

With that, Tony gave Peter a gentle push towards the elevator and away from the other man. Peter turned back to Beck with an apologetic look, "Uh… nice meeting you," he called out.

Beck just nodded his head and gave Peter a wave as he watched Tony escort the boy away.

Once in the elevator, Tony spoke. "Looking to trade me in for a younger model?" He teased.

"What? Um… no," Peter answered, a little confused.

"Beck," Tony elaborated. "Don't be fooled, kid. He may look like a fresh, young engineer, but the guy's an ass. All he's good for is putting stuff together. Not much of an innovator, you know?" Tony nudged Peter's shoulder with his own. "Not like us, huh kid?"

"Oh… sure, Mr. Stark," Peter answered. He was still clearly nervous.

Tony chuckled at him. "Relax, Pete. Take a load off. You can call me Tony, too, by the way."

Peter shook his head, "My aunt always told me it was disrespectful to call adults by their first name, sir."

Tony looked at Peter in surprise, "Sir? Oh no… that won't do. If my options are between Mr. Stark and Sir, then I think I'll take the first option."

Peter smiled, relaxing at the friendly banter. "Sounds good, Mr. Stark."

Tony smiled at him. He shook his head a little, "Yeah… that'll take a bit to get used to, but I suppose I can live with it."

Peter smiled. This was still all so unbelievable. He was actually in an elevator with Tony Stark! Iron Man! His… maybe… probably… quite possible father. Oh yeah… this was sure to get interesting.

The elevator doors opened and Peter heard a disembodied, electronic female voice say, "Welcome Boss. Welcome Peter. Alpha lab is all prepared. Just as you requested."

Peter jumped at the sound of the voice, looking around for the source.

Tony gave a small laugh as he watched Peter look around. "Thanks, FRI!" he answered back.

Peter looked at the other man in wonder, "Was that…"

"Sure was. Peter Parker meet FRIDAY. She's the user interface for all things…" Tony held out his hands to everything around them, "...me. She is the voice of all things Stark, ultimately. Her name stands for 'Female Replacement Intelligent Digital Assistant Youth.' Great, huh? God… I do love acronyms."

Peter smiled. "So cool! Nice to meet you FRIDAY! I'll have to introduce you to Karen."

"I would be happy to meet your Karen, Mr. Parker," the AI responded. Peter was impressed by how polite she sounded.

He smiled at Tony. "It's like she has her own personality," he commented.

"Oh… she does. Don't you sweetheart?" Tony called.

"You know how I feel about that nickname, boss," FRIDAY answered, sounding annoyed.

"Is she Scottish?" Peter asked. "Did you actually give her an accent?"

Tony shrugged, "She was inspired by my au pair."

"Your what?" Peter asked, scrunching his eyebrows in confusion.

"It's like a live-in Nanny. It's all very exciting," Tony said, actually sounding quite bored. He directed Peter around a corner. "Lab's this way. You have alpha access by the way. Something that I'm sure made Mr. Beck jealous. Not everyone gets to work in here, kid."

Peter could hardly contain his excitement. He couldn't believe he was getting special access. "Wow… I can't thank you enough for this opportunity, Mr. Stark."

The man beamed, "I know… I am pretty great."

It was a cocky comment, but somehow Peter wasn't offended by the arrogance of the statement. Tony Stark just had that effect on people. You couldn't help but admire him. Soon, Tony reached out for Peter's badge. He scanned it at a door and FRIDAY's voice said, "Alpha Lab. Welcome Peter!"

Peter's jaw dropped. "So cool!"

Tony led him inside and, if Peter thought he was excited before, he was sure to pass out now. He froze at the sight in front of him. "Mr. Stark… is this… are we…"

Tony smirked, "This is where the magic happens, Pete."

He looked over at a table to his right. "Are those Hawkeye's arrows? No way! This is… no way… this is so awesome!" Peter stepped away from Tony to look excitedly from one lab table to the next. The work space was massive, leaving plenty of room to work on special projects. Projects that were apparently for the Avengers themselves. "Oh my god! Widow bites! And this… is this a prototype for a new Captain America uniform?!"

He looked up at Tony in complete shock, "What am I doing in here? Should I even be here?"

Tony shrugged at the question, "FRIDAY let you in, so I would say the odds are in your favor."

Peter just continued to gape at him.

"This is where you and I can work, Pete. Don't worry." Once again Tony placed an arm on Peter's shoulder to guide him. He led Peter back towards a vacant work space. "I'll let you in on a secret, though. That badge…" he pointed to the new badge hanging on Peter's pocket. "...is completely for show. They make Happy… well… they make Happy happy," Tony joked. He smiled, "Making sure everyone has a badge keeps him busy, but FRIDAY knows every face that is allowed inside of this building. Her facial recognition will allow you to get into any space where you have access." He wagged his eyebrows at Peter, "Which is level 5, by the way. The highest is a 7. The Avengers are a 6. Beck only has a 4." Tony laughed, clearly enjoying the act of picking on the man Peter met.

Peter shook his head in disbelief, "Why? I mean… thank you, Mr. Stark. It's just… what makes you trust me with this kind of access?"

Tony shrugged, "It's not so much a matter of trust as it is talent, kid. You deserve access to the big guns." Tony looked over at some weapons hanging on the wall. "Figuratively speaking, that is. If you go anywhere near some of the stuff in this room, FRIDAY will zap you."

"Seriously?" Peter asked.

Tony laughed, "No! I'm messing you. I mean… she'll just scold you and notify me. There's no zapping involved. Come on! Honestly, kid… do you really think I'd program my AI to do something so elementary?"

"Why not? If it works as a way to safeguard your tech, would it be so bad?" Peter asked.

"Maybe not… it's just not my style. Seems like something Thor would do to keep our hands off his hammer, though."

Peter laughed. He couldn't believe any of this. This had to be the greatest day of his life.

"Ah! Here we are," Tony tapped the table, making holograms appear above the vacant workspace. The specs of Peter's goggles appeared in front of him.

"No way!" Peter mused. "That is so cool. I mean this is awesome! Did you do this just for me?"

Tony gave Peter an amused look, "I have one for every workstation." He tapped on his watch, making Holograms appear above each space.

Peter smiled, reading the names that appeared at the different tables. He frowned in confusion but his voice was amused, "Legolas? Point Break? Capsicle? Platypus?" He looked at Tony, "What is that about?"

"You know… those are just my special names for the Avengers," Tony shrugged. Peter could tell that the man was enjoying the opportunity to show off his handy work.

Peter continued to scan the room, stopping in shock as he looked above one table in particular. "Webster?" Peter questioned, eyeing some holograms that looked remarkably like advanced Spider-Man tech. He also noticed some spider symbols floating on the side of the hologram. "Wait a minute… is that… is that for Spider-Man?"

Tony looked at him, "You sound surprised, kid."

"Uh… yeah…" Peter tried to contain his growing sense of unease. Did Mr. Stark know that Peter was Spider-Man? He cleared his throat nervously, "Do you… um… do you even know Spider-Man?"

Tony gave Peter a look that clearly said, _"You really asking me that?"_ It was as if the man expected Peter to believe he knew everyone.

"What I mean is… you know… Spider-Man is our hero in Queens. I didn't even think he worked with the Avengers," Peter tried to explain, hoping he wasn't giving himself away.

Tony deactivated all of the other holograms except the one at Peter's workstation. "He doesn't," Tony admitted. "I just like to dabble. I keep my eyes open for… you know… new blood. The guy is in dire need of an upgrade, though."

"You think?" Peter asked, trying to hide his mild offense at the statement.

"Come on, Pete. Queen's so-called hero runs around fighting crime in a onesie!" Tony laughed.

"I… I don't think it's a onesie," Peter muttered.

Tony shook his head, "Let's agree to disagree on that one. Look, kid… I get it. You're from Queens. You admire the guy. But… if he ever does get to work with the team, there is no way I'm letting him fight the bad guys in his underoos!"

Peter could feel himself turning red with embarrassment. He just hoped Mr. Stark didn't see the crimson color appearing on his face. He couldn't afford to give himself away, not when it seemed like his secret was still safe.

Tony reached forward demonstrating how to manipulate the hologram for Peter. "Give it a try, Pete!" He told Peter excitedly.

Peter didn't need to be told twice. He dove into the hologram, eliminating some material and manipulating the image with ease.

The two worked together in companionable silence. Only talking to make suggestions to one another. Peter wasn't sure how much time had passed. Tony was careful to explain how Peter could improve things with clear direction.

Peter couldn't believe how patient Tony was with him. He guessed it was because the older man was in his element and enjoying the work. After a little longer, Peter worked up the courage to ask one question in particular. "Mr. Stark?"

"Yeah, kid?" Tony asked, continuing to work. This time he was checking the coding for Karen's program.

"I… wanted to ask you… um…" Peter paused, feeling uncertain.

"Spit it out, Pete," Tony encouraged. "Ask me anything. Well… almost anything. I draw the line at dating advice. Pepper would tell you that was a bad idea, anyway."

Peter laughed. "No… it's nothing like that. Um… I was just wondering… why me?"

Tony stopped working, raising his eyes to look at Peter in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"Why choose me as an intern? You must have had dozens of applicants."

Tony pursed his lips in thought, "Hundreds actually. On a daily basis." He shrugged, "FRIDAY is coded to send me the interesting ones."

"And mine was interesting?" Peter asked in surprise.

Tony raised an amused eyebrow, "Very few applicants are high school kids trying to pass themselves off as students at MIT."

"Is that what made FRIDAY single out my application?"

"No… it was your work. From there, we checked your credentials. FRIDAY scanned your picture and voila! We found ourselves an interesting surprise," Tony clarified, looking back at Karen's coding. Peter noticed he was smiling, clearly still entertained by Peter's charade.

"But you still thought I deserved a chance?" Peter asked.

Tony stopped again, looking up to study Peter. It made Peter freeze. The eyes looking at him seemed so familiar… so much like his own. He couldn't help but wonder if Tony saw the similarities, too. "Not until I met you," Tony told him. He brought his hands to his lap and crossed his right ankle over his left knee casually while sitting on his stool. "I found you to be… rather genuine and endearing. Which was surprising for someone trying to be so… deceitful." He was giving Peter a reproachful look at the mention of deceit, but his eyes held no disdain

"So you thought, 'hey… let's give this guy access to the Avenger's lab!' Is that what happened?" Peter asked, playfully.

Tony let out a hearty laugh, "God no… I guess…" Tony studied Peter again. "If I'm honest… I saw a little bit of myself in you." Tony shrugged, turning himself back to the table.

Peter wondered if Tony understood the gravity of his choice of words. Perhaps he did suspect something more. "You think I'm like you?" Peter asked, unable to mask the emotion in his voice.

"A more polite and humble version, sure," Tony said, lifting his eyes to Peter. "Don't go getting all sappy on me, Parker. We still have work to do."

Peter smiled, "Sure… sorry, Mr. Stark."

Tony smiled, "See what I mean… you're so polite. We're going to have to work on that!"

"Whatever you say, sir," Peter teased, knowing the man wouldn't like being addressed so formally.

His new mentor laughed yet again, "Well played, Pete." He studied his young protege again, giving him a wink. "I think you and I will get along just fine."

Peter absolutely beamed. "Me too, Mr. Stark. Me too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just love these two characters so much! Especially when they are together! Thank god for fan fiction where we can bring these two together over and over again!
> 
> Anyway, this is mainly character development and shows the start to a beautiful relationship. At least, I hope it's beautiful. You'll just have to keep reading to see what happens next with these two gents.


	6. Friends and Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Friendship is a beautiful thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time for a time jump. Sorry... we're going to jump ahead to get the ball rolling. I have lots of story I'd like to tell. You're going to get a lot of information in this chapter that may or may not help solve the mystery. Time will tell.

CHAPTER 5: FRIENDS AND FAMILY

Peter and Tony certainly had no problem getting along. Time moved along quickly. Peter would go to the Tower every Monday and Wednesday, sometimes adding a day or two depending on what he and Tony were working on. Tony even began to trust Peter with some other projects. He was allowed to experiment with projects for Avengers like Black Widow and Falcon. It was truly unbelievable.

It was early January when Peter finally got the opportunity he was waiting for. He and Tony were working in the lab when FRIDAY interrupted.

"Excuse me, Boss," FRIDAY said. "Captain Rogers is hoping to speak with you."

Tony sighed, "Can it wait, FRI? Pete and I are a little busy."

It was quiet for a moment, likely due to FRIDAY checking with Steve about how urgently he needed to speak with the man. She spoke again, "Captain Rogers feels that this conversation cannot be delayed. He requests that you stop playing in your lab and meet him in the common room."

Tony frowned, "I suppose those are his words and not yours, right FRIDAY?"

"Of course, Boss," The AI responded, sounding mildly guilty.

"Uh huh," Tony said doubtfully. He gave Peter a look of regret, "Sorry, kid. Looks like I'm going to have to excuse myself for a bit. You can stay here and keep working if you want."

Peter smiled, "Or… you could introduce me to the Avengers."

Tony didn't miss the hopeful tone in the younger man's voice. He laughed, "Yeah… that's not happening. Sorry, kid."

"Aw, come on!" Peter whined. "It's been months, Mr. Stark. I've been helping you with their stuff. Don't you think it's only fair that they meet the person responsible for all of their cool upgrades?"

Tony shook his head. "Still not happening. First of all because you're whining like a preschooler. Second of all… they have no business corrupting my intern." He winked at Peter, "I am perfectly capable of doing that myself."

Peter laughed at his mentor, watching as he started to make his way out of the lab. "Fine. I guess I'll stay here and do all of your work for you," Peter teased.

"Great," Tony smiled at him. "I think you're finally getting a handle on how this intern stuff really works. Have fun, Pete." He gave Peter a nod in farewell as he left Peter alone in the lab.

Peter looked around. This was the first time that Mr. Stark was leaving him unattended in here. There were a few occasions where Happy was left to keep an eye on him, but that was not the case today. Peter knew that Happy was out escorting Pepper to some press conference.

This was finally Peter's chance to take a look at the workstation for Spider-Man. Peter quickly made his way over to the table, pulling up the holograms. If Mr. Stark thought Spider-Man needed an upgrade, then Peter could do that upgrade for himself. He rolled up his shirtsleeves, revealing his latest web shooters and taking them off. He pulled up the holograms, looking for any specs his mentor had for ideas and further improvements. He finally found what he was looking for and got to work. He didn't know how much time he would have, so he knew he needed to work quickly.

Peter smiled as he worked. He had been itching to work in this space from day one. He would finally be able to take Spider-Man to the next level.

* * *

Later that night, Peter was showing Ned the upgrades to his web shooters.

"The design is more sleek, now. You see? I've been trying to wear them all the time, so this will make them even more discreet. People will just think I'm wearing bracelets or something," Peter told him.

Ned was studying his friend carefully. "Yeah… um, that's really great. So, Mr. Stark just let you work on Spider-Man stuff?" Peter didn't miss the doubt in his friend's voice.

He blushed a little. "Well, no… he left me alone in the lab, so I had a chance to mess around a little."

Ned's eyes widened a little, "He left you alone with all of the Avenger stuff?" Of course Peter had given Ned the full details about the lab. Ned was actually pretty jealous, but Peter eased his friend's jealousy by promising to convince Mr. Stark to let them both meet the team one day. "Dude, personally… I would've tried shooting some of Hawkeye's arrows!"

Peter chuckled, "That would've been cool, but I was dying to check out his ideas for Spider-Man."

Ned looked thoughtful for a moment, "Peter… are you sure that Tony Stark doesn't suspect anything about you?"

Peter fiddled with his web shooters. "What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean," his friend challenged.

Peter looked up at him and rolled his eyes. "No… I don't. You could be talking about Spider-Man or you could be talking about the other thing. For the record, he has no idea that I'm Spider-Man. No one ever looks at me and thinks that I could be Spider-Man." His eyes twinkled with mischief as he added, "Their mistake, of course."

Ned nodded. "And the other thing? Are you sure he doesn't suspect? I mean he seems to trust you a lot. And you said the two of you are getting closer all the time."

Peter sighed and shrugged. He shook his head a little, "I don't know, man. It all seems pretty stupid. If he thought there was something to… the other thing, then he surely would've said something by now."

Ned looked thoughtful for a moment. "Not necessarily." He paused. "Why haven't you said anything to him? It's been months, Peter. And it really sounds like the two of you are close. What would it hurt to ask?"

Peter looked at Ned incredulously. "Seriously, Ned? It could hurt everything!"

"Why?" Ned persisted.

Peter threw up his hands in frustration. "Because I'm probably wrong! That's why! Why ruin the good thing I have with him, huh? Why would I throw that away? If I bring up his lost son… if I tell him why I went there for an internship in the first place… and then I'm not actually his kid…" Peter looked off to the side, quietly imagining the scenario. "Ned… our relationship would never be the same."

"But Peter… What if you're right?" Ned asked him gently. "Then, your relationship with him could be even better." Ned's eyes twinkled, "Then he would let you meet the Avengers for sure!"

Peter let out an amused laugh at the suggestion. He looked down at his hands, nervously cracking his knuckles. "It's not like I don't think about it. I'm just… I don't know. I guess I'm too scared. I don't even know how to bring that up!"

"You could ask him about his son," Ned shrugged.

"Dude!" Peter scolded. "That's a terrible idea!"

"Well… I think you should find a way to talk to him about it soon," Ned suggested. "I think it would be worse if he found out and realized you were keeping the truth from him."

"That's the problem, Ned," Peter said in annoyance. "It may not even be the truth. It's probably just a stupid fantasy that I cooked up in my head."

"Why would you say that, Peter?"

"Think about it!" Peter insisted. "I'm a kid without a father who has admired Iron Man all of my life. Of course I would try to convince myself that I could somehow be his kid."

"Okay," Ned relented. "But does that explain the resemblance or the similarities between the two of you? What about the whole timeline? It could fit."

"Maybe…"

Ned chewed his lip a little, looking a little nervous. "Peter… are you sure he doesn't know that you're his son?"

"We've been over this, Ned…"

His friend cut him off. "What if he always knew about you? Maybe he gave you to the Parkers! Maybe that's why he welcomed you into the Tower in the first place!"

Peter frowned, "What are you talking about? Why would Tony do that?"

"There are theories that he was involved…"

"Dude!" Peter scolded.

"Hear me out on this. I've thought about it a lot. At first I thought maybe he was in on something sinister, but now I think that is too far fetched. But…" he noticed Peter looking doubtful and frustrated but continued. "... but… What if he gave away his son as a way to protect him? If there was a threat, maybe he thought his kid was safer if he was raised by someone else!" Ned smiled, looking proud of himself for thinking up this newest theory.

Peter was quiet, pondering the possibility. He shook his head and sighed, "I don't know, Ned. Honestly, anything is possible. I guess if I wanted to figure it out, then I ultimately need to talk to Mr. Stark about it."

"Exactly!" Ned agreed. He looked relieved... as if Peter was somehow finally coming to his senses.

A look of determination crossed Peter's face. "You're right, Ned. I need to find a way to talk to Mr. Stark about this."

His friend nodded excitedly in agreement.

Peter nodded along with him, reaching out his hand to Ned to initiate their handshake.

Peter wasn't really sure how he would do it, but he knew that it was definitely time to at least try approaching the subject with Mr. Stark. He just had to find the right way to do it.

* * *

Tony was in his penthouse at the tower, talking to Rhodes. The day certainly hadn't ended as planned. Steve's request to take the newest Avengers out to find Crossbones was the last thing he expected.

"It wouldn't be the worst training experience for them," Rhodes suggested, shrugging at his friend. "I'm sure Steve will be careful."

"Rumlow's been on the run for some time now. Sokovia wasn't that long ago. I just think we need to lay low a little longer," Tony explained.

"I get that, Tones, I do. But the team is getting restless, and Rumlow is dangerous. They can at least complete a scouting mission."

Tony nodded and shrugged. "Yeah… I know. It could take them months to track him down, though. Do you really think it's a good idea for us to split up the team for that long?"

Rhodes studied his friend carefully. "What are you really worried about, Tony?"

"You know me so well, honey bear," Tony smirked. He moved over to his bar, pulling out two glasses and filling each one with a little scotch. He walked back over to Rhodes, handing him a glass. "You heard anything from Ross?" Tony asked, taking a sip of the liquor.

The colonel smiled at his friend in understanding. "Ross, huh? That explains the need for a drink." They both laughed a little, taking additional sips of the amber liquid.

"Have you?" Tony asked.

Rhodes shrugged, "Not directly. I have heard that he's in talks with the U.N. They're looking for a way to put some checks and balances in place for the Avengers." Rhodes looked thoughtful for a moment. "Would that be such a bad thing?"

"No," Tony admitted. "I would just feel a lot better if General Badass… excuse me, Secretary of State Badass weren't involved." He laughed again and drained his glass.

Rhodes nodded in agreement, also finishing the contents of his glass. "Yeah, well. I don't think there's much he can do to us so long as the U.N. is also involved. There are checks and balances in place for him, too, Tony."

"I guess. We better hope so. We sure as hell don't need him as our puppet master," Tony quipped. He took the empty glass from his friend's hand, walking both glasses back over to the bar and placing them in the sink.

"You're worried something could go wrong on Steve's mission? Something that would expedite things between Ross and the U.N.?" Rhodes inquired curiously.

"Bingo," Tony confirmed, joining his friend once again. Both men turned to look out at the city, each one quietly sorting through his own thoughts.

"Well… getting them out of the tower won't be the worst thing in the world," Rhodes said, smiling at Tony. "If you don't make them leave soon, they'll insist on meeting your mysterious intern."

Tony laughed, "True. I'm surprised you yourself have held out this long."

"FRIDAY may or may not let me see some footage of the two of you from time to time," Rhodes admitted.

Tony looked over at his friend in surprise and confusion.

Rhodes let out a hearty laugh at the expression on Tony's face. "Pepper gave me special access."

Tony's jaw dropped. "I feel so betrayed," he said, but his words held no real truth. He actually sounded mildly amused. He looked at Rhodes, "And? What did you think?"

His friend smiled and spoke earnestly, "You're really good with that kid, Tony." Rhodes shuffled back and forth a little, looking suddenly uncomfortable.

"What is it, Platypus? Spit it out," Tony told him.

"It's just… you know. Can we talk about why you really like having that kid around?" Rhodes finally said.

Tony frowned, moving away from his friend and over towards his lounge. "I don't know what you mean."

Rhodes followed after him cautiously. He was approaching dangerous ground and he knew it, but this was a conversation the two friends needed to have. "You know exactly what I mean."

Silence fell between the two men as they studied each other. Tony sat down in a chair, placing his elbow on the arm and leaning his head into his hand. He rubbed his hand through his hair a little and looked over at Rhodes with a warning look. "Let's not go there, Rhodey."

"We're already there, Tones," Rhodes insisted. He moved to sit near his friend, leaning forward in his seat in what he hoped was a comforting manner. "He's the same age that TJ would be," Rhodes finally said.

Tony visibly flinched at the mention of his son's name. Jenny wasn't fond of calling both of her boys by the same name; she felt it got too confusing. While many people referred to Tony's son as Tony Jr., those closest to the family knew the boy as TJ. Tony studied his friend for a moment. He couldn't really be mad at the man for bringing up his son. Rhodes had loved him, too. Tony had given his best friend the responsibility and the honor of being his son's godfather. Jenny, on the other hand, asked her best friend to be the godmother; it just so happened that Pepper was that best friend. It was how she came to work for Tony in the first place, and it was the reason she stood by Tony's side when he spiraled out of control as a result of his grief. She felt she owed it to Jenny to keep an eye on Tony. Neither one of them ever expected to fall in love with each other, but the universe had other plans.

Tony took a deep breath and collected himself, finally opening up to the friend sitting next to him. "I suppose he would be," Tony admitted.

"Does your intern know that… What's his name? Peter, right?" Rhodes asked him.

Tony nodded. "Peter Parker. The orphan from Queens. He lives with his aunt… talks about her all the time. She's the only family the kid has left. I don't really know what he knows about TJ. It's not exactly something that I like to bring up."

Rhodes nodded, eyeing his friend carefully. "I get that. If he's an orphan, it sounds like he's in need of a father figure. Which is perfect for a man who misses his son."

Tony removed his head from his hand. He brought his hands down on his knees, rubbing them a little. It was as if he was trying to rub away some discomfort, but Rhodes knew the discomfort wasn't actually in the man's knees. Tony cleared his throat, fighting the emotion that was building up inside of him. "I still think of them every day, Rhodey."

His friend offered him a sad smile. "I know that. There's nothing wrong with remembering them, Tony."

Tony looked over at a collage of pictures he had hanging on the wall. Pictures of Jennifer DeVega holding their son. There was a picture taken shortly after the boy was born, the photo for the birth announcement, his first birthday, and a few other candid shots of the family. "I thought…" Tony started, looking away from the pictures and towards the floor beneath him. "... I thought that maybe it would get easier. You know that whole bit about time healing all wounds?"

"Yeah…"

"Total horseshit," Tony told him.

Rhodes chuckled. "So it is," he agreed. "I don't think it's a bad thing. I think grief can help us make different choices, you know? It reminds us of who we are and what's really important."

Tony nodded. "It hurts less, I suppose. Especially when I'm doing things that I know would make her happy."

Rhodes knew he was referring to Jenny. "She'd be really proud of you, Tony. They both would." Rhodes suddenly laughed, making Tony look up at him with a raised brow. "I know she was beaming with pride when you shut down the weapon's division. She always felt like more could be done with the arc reactor technology."

Tony laughed along with him. "She always liked it when I shook things up a bit. I do wish I could kill Obie all over again, though. Just for her and TJ."

"I still can't believe he was behind their deaths, too. It was bad enough learning he was behind what happened to you in Afghanistan," Rhodes added.

"It was the last thing I expected to find in the files Pepper copied," Tony admitted quietly.

Rhodes shook his head. "I can't believe he was arrogant enough to think you wouldn't find those files in your own system!"

"Yeah, well… The best place to hide things is in plain sight, I guess." Tony stood up out of his chair, feeling restless. He took another few steps, looking out the window once again.

Rhodes stood up to join him, placing a gentle hand on his friend's shoulder. "For what it's worth, I think they would both be thrilled to know that you're looking out for others as Iron Man. Maybe a little worried, but definitely proud."

Tony gave his friend a half smile, sadness in his eyes. "I haven't always been the biggest help, though, have I?"

Rhodes looked at him in confusion.

"Surely you remember Ultron?" Tony questioned, his words dripping with sarcasm.

Rhodes removed his hand from Tony's shoulder and shrugged, "No one's perfect. Your intentions were good."

"I guess… tell that to the people of Sokovia," Tony said bitterly. "Or Ross for that matter. It's my fault he's talking to the U.N. in the first place."

"Listen, man…" Rhodes started. "You can't dwell on the past. You can only let it help you grow and make better decisions the next time around. You're a good man, Tony. Everything will work out."

"A good man?" Tony asked. "Is that why my loved ones are targeted, Rhodey? Because I'm a good man?" Tony shook his head, moving back over to the bar with Rhodes right behind him. He was taking out the scotch and ready to remove the lid when Rhodes stopped him.

Rhodes gently removed the bottle from his friend's hand, placing it just out of his reach. "Don't do this to yourself, Tony. Don't go there. Obadiah's decision to hurt your family was driven solely by his greed. Don't let anyone tell you differently."

Tony's eyes glistened with unshed tears. "He sent men into my home, Rhodes. They took my son and murdered his mother when she fought them. They left her there, and they... " He stopped, trying desperately to control his breathing.

Rhodes let out a long sigh, fighting tears of his own. "I know. I wish Fury had never told us. I liked it better when we still had some hope."

Tony scoffed, "You had hope. I knew… when no ransom came, I knew that he was gone." Tony desperately wiped away tears that threatened to escape from his eyes. "He was just a baby, Rhodey. Only two years old, and those monsters put him in a weighted chest and drowned him in the ocean. And for what? All so one man could try to maintain control of my company?"

Rhodes shuddered at the memory. Fury finally tried to give them some closure by showing them the satellite footage he acquired upon investigating the plans found in Stane's files. It showed men out on a boat in the early hours before dawn on September 13, 2004, placing a small wiggling figure that was wrapped inside of a blanket into a chest with heavy weights on the bottom. They closed the lid, putting a lock in place and dumped it off of the boat like it was nothing to worry about.

Tony rubbed a hand through his hair. "I guess it's just nice to spend time with the kid… time with Peter lets me imagine what TJ might be like if I had the chance to see him grow older."

Rhodey nodded. "There's nothing wrong with that, Tony. As a matter of fact, I think it's good for you to spend time with him. It's nice to see you using those fatherly instincts again."

"Whatever you say," Tony scoffed, unsure that he really had any good fatherly instincts at all.

"I just want you to be careful, Tones," Rhodes added.

Tony frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I mean… be careful about getting attached," his friend admitted. "I don't want to see you get hurt."

"Why would I get hurt?" Tony challenged, feeling a little offended by the suggestion.

Rhodes sighed, placing his hand on Tony's shoulder again. He looked his friend in the eyes, begging him silently to understand where he was coming from. "Because… he may not always be around. He's not yours to keep him, Tony."

Tony gently pushed off his friend's hand, walking a few steps away. "Maybe not… or maybe… just maybe I can take the kid under my wing. I am Iron Man, after all. And the kid sees me as his hero. Maybe I let him know that I care about him. You know… I can give him a reason to stick around."

Rhodes smiled, "I'm sure if anyone can convince the kid to stay, it's you."

They stared at each other awkwardly for a few moments. Each one a little unsure of where things would go next.

"Alright… come here," Tony said, moving to pull his friend into a hug.

"Woah… what are you doing? Nuh uh…" Rhodes jokingly took a step back.

"Come on… you know you wanna," Tony teased. "We just had a moment."

"Nope. Didn't ask for this." Despite his words, Tony's friend stopped. He allowed the other man to awkwardly envelop him in a hug.

The embrace started out a bit strange, but the two men settled into a brotherly hug. Each one silently thankful to have the friendship of the other.

"You're right," Tony said, stepping back and breaking the hug. "Totally weird. Completely unnecessary."

"Totally unnecessary," Rhodes agreed. "Never again."

The two smiled at each other. "We're getting soft in our old age, honey bear," Tony quipped.

"Speak for yourself, old man. I'm still young and fresh. What are you talking about? Old age, my ass!" Rhodes scolded, a smile plastered on his face.

Tony laughed, shaking his head. He really couldn't have asked for a better friend. He truly didn't think he would be alive if it weren't for his friend's patience and willingness to stick by him all these years.

Tony gave a sideways glance at his friend, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "Wanna race?" Tony asked.

Rhodes responded with an equally devilish gleam in his eye. "War Machine vs. Iron Man?"

"What do you say? Shall we prove we're still young?" Tony asked.

"Oh… you're on."

With that, the two friends went for their suits. Each one happy to have an excuse to put on their suits and clear their heads of traumatic memories.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hold on... Did Tony and Rhodes just reveal that Tony Jr. is dead? Like... for sure?
> 
> What the heck is going on here? Well... you'll just have to keep reading to get that answer.


	7. An Unexpected Conversation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's get on with it, shall we? I wonder what will be discovered in this chapter? Will Peter find the courage to finally address the issue of looking identical to Tony's son? Read on and find out for yourself :)

CHAPTER 6: AN UNEXPECTED CONVERSATION

Peter was nervously talking to himself as he made his way towards the tower. He kept running different ideas through his mind on how he might approach Mr. Stark about his own resemblance to that of his lost son.

"Hey, Mr. Stark…" Peter muttered to himself quietly, practicing his speech. "... Can I ask you a personal question? It's about your son…"

Peter shook his head, "Ugh… no. Come on, Peter! You can do better than that."

He sighed. "Mr. Stark, I have this picture of me with my mom. Do you wanna see it?" He shook his head again. He decided to bring the photo of himself with Mary Parker that was taken in February 2005. It was the youngest picture he could find of himself. "Come on, Peter. He'll think it's really weird to just show him a random baby picture."

Peter huffed at himself in annoyance and agitation. Surely it shouldn't be this difficult! Having arrived at the Tower, he looked up at the building apprehensively. The time was now. Today was the day when he would finally talk to his mentor about his suspicions.

"Okay… you can do this, Peter," he told himself, stepping forward and entering the tower. He smiled and nodded at the receptionists as he made his way to the elevator. At this point, he was a regular, so the process of entering and exiting the building was a lot faster. He pressed the button to go up to the lab. "No turning back," he whispered to himself. He smiled at some of the other employees moving around him and tapped his foot while he waited for the elevator doors to open.

Once it arrived, he stepped inside and quickly pressed the button to close the doors. He wanted to ride up to the lab by himself so that he could continue practicing his speech. He took a steadying breath, "Okay… try again, Peter. You got this." He looked up and visualized Mr. Stark standing in front of him. "Hey, Mr. Stark.."

He was cut off by FRIDAY. "-Hello, Peter. You seem to be confused. Boss is waiting for you in Alpha lab. He is not currently riding the elevator with you."

Peter blushed, embarrassed to be caught by the AI. "Oh, yeah… I know. Thanks, FRIDAY. Sorry!"

"No problem, Peter. Boss would like you to report to the lab immediately. He has something important to talk to you about, and requests that you, ' _move your ass, Parker.'_ " FRIDAY informed him.

Peter frowned in confusion at that. "Uh… okay," he answered simply. The doors opened and he tentatively stepped out into the hallway. He thought that was a bit odd. It was possible that his mentor was just messing around. He said things like that all time, especially if Peter got distracted. But considering the conversation that Peter had on his mind, he couldn't help but wonder if Mr. Stark was on to him.

Maybe Ned was right. He should have brought this up sooner. If his mentor knew that he had lied after all of this time, it could be bad.

He took a few more steadying breaths and walked around the corner. He didn't bother with the badge, knowing FRIDAY would use the facial recognition to let him in. "Alpha Lab. Welcome, Peter," the AI greeted him as expected. He walked in with the doors shutting behind him.

He found his mentor at their usual work station, but his posture seemed stern. He was sitting on a stool, leaning back against the table. He had his heels propped up on a bar between the legs of the stool and his arms were crossed in front of his chest. He was fixing Peter with an accusing glare and his lips were pursed. His eyes were just watching Peter, unblinking as he approached. Peter was trying to read the look in the older man's eyes, but he couldn't really find any answers there. The man wasn't the easiest person to read.

"Uh… hey, Mr. Stark…" Peter swallowed nervously. "Is everything okay? You look… um…"

Tony raised his eyebrows at Peter. "Just how do I look, Mr. Parker? Do I look happy to you?"

"Um… no?" Peter answered uncertainly.

"How about upset? Perturbed maybe?" Tony questioned, moving to stand up off of the stool. He kept his arms crossed in front of his chest and took a few steps forward so that he was standing face to face with Peter.

Tony was quiet, and Peter realized that he was expecting him to give an answer. "Um… yes, maybe a little upset. What's going on?" Peter asked, his thoughts going crazy. This was it. Tony knew everything. Their relationship was ruined. It was never going to be the same.

Tony frowned, his eyes boring into Peter's and studying him carefully. "Why did you come to Stark Tower for an internship, kid?"

The question caught Peter off guard, making him somehow more anxious than he already was. He could feel the sweat beading up on his forehead. Yep… he was busted. "I… um… I wanted to actually… you know… uh… it's funny you should mention that…" Peter was stuttering, desperately trying to put his thoughts into coherent words. He was failing miserably.

Tony stepped back, shaking his head and pulling out his Stark Phone. "Funny thing, Pete. I thought you and I would be having a different conversation today. Rhodes and I were talking last night, and I thought it was time that you and I talk about how nice our bonding time has been-"

"- oh, yeah…" Peter tried to cut in.

"- Not finished. The adult is still talking." Tony pulled up a video and started projecting it above his phone. "But then… there I am. I'm laying in bed next to Pepper, watching some videos from FRIDAY before calling it a night…"

Peter frowned in confusion. Did he have a video about Peter thinking he was Tony's son? That couldn't be, right? He looked at the video that appeared above the phone and his eyes went wide in realization. "Oh shit…" he breathed out.

"Uh huh," Tony confirmed. "Didn't I tell you that FRIDAY kept tabs on all of the things that happen inside of this lab?"

Peter looked in horror at the video that showed him going over to the Spider-Man work station. It showed him pulling off his web shooters and pulling up the holograms before getting to work. Peter blinked his eyes rapidly, bringing up a hand and pulling at his hair nervously. He was trying desperately to find an excuse. "I… well, you see…" Peter started.

Tony cut him off. "Save it, kid. You see… when I saw this, it got me thinking." Tony started to pull up other images and videos above his phone. "I thought to myself, _'Hey, Tony… Pete lives in Queens. Spider-Man is all over Queens.'_ you know what I mean?"

Peter shrugged and opened up his mouth to try to offer some explanation. Tony didn't let him.

The man froze on a picture. It was one of an earlier sighting of Spider-Man, taken just as Peter was starting out. Tony zoomed in on the face, "Look at that? Isn't it interesting how the webslinger wears goggles that look remarkably similar to the ones you showed me when we met?"

"Uh…" Peter was screwed. What the hell was he supposed to say?

"Navigation, right?" Tony challenged. "That's what you told me you use Karen for." He moved through a couple of videos from youtube. "I'm sure she helps the spider move around buildings and obstacles… we wouldn't want you falling on your face, right?" It was just that moment where Tony played a clip of Spider-Man face planting on a rooftop. Of course someone had to be filming Peter at that precise moment.

"That's not…" Peter tried.

"Nope! You don't get to deny this," Tony snapped, pulling up other videos. He showed one of Peter catching a speeding car with just his hands. "Look at you go. That is you. Isn't it? Spiderling? Spider-Boy? The crime fighting spider?"

"Spider-Man," Peter huffed out, slightly annoyed. Tony knew exactly what he called himself.

"So you admit it?" Tony challenged. "You lied to me."

Peter threw up his arms in surrender, "Fine.. yes. That's me, but I wasn't trying to lie. I just… I don't really like to talk about it. No one can know! My aunt doesn't even know!"

Tony finally stopped projecting the images above his phone. He put it back in his coat pocket to study Peter once more. "Seriously? You don't go around bragging to your friends about this? You're not showing off to other kids… telling them all about how you're pulling one over on me to try to get on the team?" Tony motioned to the Avengers gear around them.

Peter's eyebrows shot up in realization. "What?! No, no, no, Mr. Stark. It's not like that! The only other person who knows is my best friend! And that was an accident because he saw me taking off my gear!"

"Really?" Tony looked genuinely surprised.

"Yes! No one can know about this, Mr. Stark! Please!" Peter tried to steady his breathing. "If anything happened to May… I mean, if she found out…" Peter shook his head, not even wanting to finish that thought.

Tony squinted at him, "So what… you came here hoping to advance your tech? Is that it?"

"No… that's not it at all. I mean, being an Avenger would be awesome… seriously, but… I can't afford to do that right now. Maybe not ever!" Peter insisted.

Tony looked genuinely confused. He closed his eyes and shook his head, stepping back to return to a sitting position on the stool. He rubbed his head as if fighting off a looming headache. "So… you're not here to get close to me and use some kind of emotional manipulation to convince me to be an Avenger upon revealing your secret identity?"

It was Peter's turn to look confused. "Emotional manipulation? What…"

"Look, kid," Tony's eyes finally softened as he looked at Peter. "Let's start over, shall we?" Tony motioned for Peter to take a seat on another stool. He continued once Peter was sitting down. "If I'm completely honest… I'm hurt that you didn't tell me sooner. And I'm annoyed that I didn't figure it out sooner! The stuff that you're doing out there… it's dangerous, Pete! What the hell are you thinking?"

Peter finally started to connect the dots, and he looked up at Tony in surprise. "Wait… are you… are you, like, worried about me or something?"

Tony turned away for a moment, nervously drumming his fingers on his knees. "Well… It's not like I got a good night of sleep after figuring this out, kid! I need some answers over here! I mean… honestly! What the hell?"

Peter couldn't help but to chuckle a little at his mentor's exasperation. "Alright, okay… Let me see. Number 1…" Peter held up a finger. "... I was not trying to manipulate you. If I wanted to use your tech to get Spider-Man on the team, then I would've come to you as Spider-Man."

Tony simply nodded, waiting for further explanation.

"Number 2…" Peter held up a second finger. "... I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself. Spider-Man can hold his own out there, and it also doesn't hurt that I'm a quick healer."

"I don't think I want to know how you learned that one, but go on…" Tony encouraged.

"Umm… Number three…" Peter held up a third finger, trying to figure out what to say next. "I know… number three… I was honest about why I came here. I wanted to meet you. That's the truth."

Tony frowned, looking doubtful, "So your spider activities had nothing to do with it?"

Peter shrugged, "I mean… he's a part of me, so I guess he has a little bit to do with everything. I mean… I was itching to see your ideas for upgrades from the first time I saw that work station."

Tony laughed a little at Peter's confession. "I bet you were." He shook his head a little. "So… you're still trying to tell me that the whole charade for this internship was still simply to meet me?"

Peter wrestled with his thoughts for a moment. He briefly considered the picture he had in his bag, but he decided the opportunity to discuss his similarities to Tony's son had passed. He didn't think the man could take more than one revelation today. That was, of course, if the man truly had no idea. He thought it was a little strange that he could be so concerned about the Spider-Man thing.

"I'm waiting, kid," Tony prompted. He clearly wanted some kind of answer.

Peter was thoughtful for another moment. "Mr. Stark… you told me that you took me on as your personal intern because you saw some of yourself in me, right?"

"True," Tony confirmed.

"I've looked up to you my whole life. I felt like I could identify with you. I guess…" Peter met Tony's eyes, silently begging him to understand. "... I guess I saw a little of myself in you, too."

Tony looked a little surprised. "That's never good," he joked.

Peter smiled, "Of course it is! You're a hero, Mr. Stark. I just… I wanted to be like you."

"Is that why you became Spider-Man?" Tony asked. "How do you do that, by the way? It can't be the onesie you wear… how are you sticking to the wall? Is that suction cups in the fingers or something?"

Peter shook his head and smiled wryly. "Um… no. That's just me. I'm sticky." To demonstrate, Peter moved his hand over to a tool on the work station next to them. He lifted the tool by making it stick to his hand. He shook his hand up and down a little to show that the tool wasn't going to fall before gently releasing it back to the top of the table.

"Huh…" Tony mused. "How the hell did I miss that? I mean… You didn't stick to me when I shook your hand."

"I've learned how to control it," Peter clarified.

"So… it's just you… you're part spider?" Tony's tone wasn't so much confused as it was curious. The man's scientific brain was clearly trying to understand how this all worked.

"It was the surprising result of a little accident I had on a field trip," Peter partly explained.

Now Tony was really interested. "Do tell. What kind of field trip was this? Am I going to find more high school spiders crawling around New York?"

Peter laughed. "Not likely. We were at Oscorp…"

"-Terrible choice for a field trip," Tony chimed in.

"...obviously," Peter nodded "Anyway… they were showing my class this area where they were experimenting on the genetics of different creatures… spiders, for example." Peter shuddered. "This one kid, Flash, he knew how much the spiders creeped me out. So… he pushed me into the area where they were housing all the spiders."

Tony frowned, clearly not approving of this Flash kid.

"A couple spiders started crawling on me, so I tried to wipe them off and get out of there as quickly as possible. One of them was on my hand, and it bit me before I could get it off," Peter explained.

Tony involuntarily shuddered at the idea of spiders crawling on the kid and getting bit.

"I got out of there, and no one even seemed to notice what happened. As the day went on, the bite got all red and swollen. I didn't want to worry my aunt and uncle, so I went right to bed when I got home. I felt awful the next day and stayed home from school…"

"So this happened before your uncle died? And neither he nor your aunt took you to the doctor when you got sick?" Tony sounded like he couldn't believe they wouldn't take the kid to get checked out.

"They actually had an appointment scheduled for me… they thought I had the flu or something, but they couldn't get an appointment until the next day." Peter shrugged and gave a small smile. "But they never had to take me. When I woke up the next morning, everything was different. The bite was barely visible and I felt better than ever before. It was a little scary at first because my senses were, like, dialed up to eleven. Everything was louder and brighter."

"So… your senses are enhanced?" Tony questioned.

"Totally, but I've learned to manage it and get used to it. Sensory overload can happen, but that's why I wear a mask to completely cover my head. The eyepieces I use for Karen help me as well. It all helps to bring things into focus," Peter explained.

"Okay… so…" Tony held up his hands, lifting a finger as he listed each ability he knew about. "Strength, agility, stickiness, enhanced senses, healing…" He stopped for a moment. "Clearly the webbing doesn't come out of you." He looked towards the web shooters that Peter still tried to keep tucked under his shirt sleeve. "Who manufactures that for you by the way?"

"I do," Peter answered, sounding mildly offended that Tony would think anyone else would need to do it for him.

"Of course," Tony said, shaking his head but sounding impressed nonetheless. "Any other abilities I should know about?"

Peter shrugged a little. "Well… I have this, like, sixth sense…"

"So help me god, kid, if you tell me that you can see dead people, I'm going to walk right outta here," Tony teased.

Peter laughed, and Tony couldn't help the smile that formed on his face at the sound of it. "No, no, no… nothing like that thankfully… that would be so creepy. No… I call it my spider sense," Peter clarified.

"What does it do?" Tony asked.

Peter looked thoughtful, "Well… I'm still figuring out how to use it best, but it, like, helps me know when something bad is about to happen. Like… I know when I'm in danger." He noticed his mentor was giving him a confused look. "For example, this one time when I was out as Spider-Man a guy pulled a knife and tried to stab me…" Peter didn't miss the look of horror that crossed Tony's face "... no, no… it was fine because my senses had me moving out of the way before I even really noticed what he was trying to do."

"So… you didn't get stabbed?" Tony questioned, clearly concerned.

"Not that time," Peter said, realizing his mistake after the words left his mouth.

Tony's jaw dropped open as he gaped at Peter. "Not that time? So you HAVE been stabbed?'

Peter shrugged and waved his hands dismissively. "A few times, but it's fine because of the fast healing."

Tony quickly stood up off the stool. "Okay… that's it. Come on…"

Peter looked at his mentor in surprise. "What? What do you mean?"

Tony walked over to the Spider-Man work station. "There is no way I'm letting you leave here without some new safeguards in place," he explained, bringing up the holograms for Spider-Man.

Peter jumped off the stool to join him, barely containing his excitement. "Seriously? You and I are going to work on it together?" He was practically vibrating with excitement at this point.

"Uh huh…" Tony said distractedly. He was busy scrolling through the holograms, looking for the schematics for a new suit. He stopped for a moment and turned to look at Peter. "You told me you want to be like me, right?"

"Um… yes." Peter confirmed, a little surprised by the change of subject.

Tony nodded. "Let's get something straight. If I help you with this, you don't do anything that I would do!" Tony turned back to the holograms, but kept talking. "And definitely don't do anything that I wouldn't do!" He turned his head back to glance back at Peter, holding up his thumb and pointer finger with a small space in between. "There's a little grey area in there, and that's where I want you to operate. Got it?"

Peter was a little uncertain but answered anyway. "Uh… sure, Mr. Stark."

Tony didn't look completely convinced, but nodded at Peter. He knew it was likely the best that he was going to get from Peter for now. "Alright then… time for an upgrade, kid."

Peter smiled in response, excited to be getting new gear with the help of Iron Man himself. The conversation definitely wasn't the one he was expecting to have, but he was pleased with the outcome anyway. There would surely be another time to talk about Tony's son. Today just wasn't meant to be that day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damn it! Still no real answers... sorry! But aren't these two just adorable?
> 
> Anyway... I wonder what will happen now that Tony knows that Peter is Spider-Man? Will Peter finally meet the Avengers? Will he go on missions?
> 
> I'll tell you later... that's what the remaining chapters are for! ;)


	8. Familiar Faces

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little longer. We'll see a little bit of Steve and Pepper in this chapter. The story is finally moving in the right direction. The pieces are lining up, but will we solve the puzzle?

CHAPTER 7: FAMILIAR FACES

One week later and Peter was swinging through the streets in his newest gear. If that wasn't cool enough, he was testing it out with Iron Man on his heels.

He was swinging between buildings, flipping through the air with ease. "Wooh! Yeah!" Peter cried, maneuvering between obstacles with ease.

"Iron Man requests that you swing closer to the ground, Peter," Karen's voice told him.

Peter did a quick look around but didn't see the red and gold suit. "How does he know how high up I am?" Peter asked.

"He has initiated the Baby Monitor Protocol. FRIDAY is displaying the footage for him," Karen said, sounding quite pleased. His mentor had taken great pleasure in helping Peter with Karen's personality. He also insisted on putting in embarrassing safeguards like said Baby Monitor Protocol. "Ugh," Peter goaned. "Karen… patch me through to him."

Peter could then hear Iron Man's metallic voice, "Take it easy, kid. You're going to give me a heart attack."

Peter laughed, "Where are you, anyway? What's the matter? Can't keep up?" Peter planted his feet along the side of a skyscraper and began running along the windows. He rounded the corner, preparing to shoot another web, when he quickly had to lean backwards before Iron Man flew into him.

"Watch where you're going, Spider-Man," Tony teased. "Actually… I was way ahead of you. I circled back to see what was taking you so long."

Tony hovered out in front of Peter as he leaned back against the side of the building. Peter was reaching back behind him with his hands and feet to remain stuck to the side. He lifted away a hand and waved it out in front of him, "Whatever! We can't all have rocket boosters."

"Hey! Hey! Don't you think you should hold on, Spidey," Tony's voice sounded nervous.

Peter smiled beneath his mask. "Why?" he asked, teasing his mentor. He let go of the building with his hands and stood up so that he was only clinging to the building with his feet. He turned and began to walk up the side. "Look… no hands!"

"Knock it off, Pete. This is our first time out in that suit. We don't even know how well your… uh… stickiness works through that yet," Tony complained.

Peter waved his hands at him. "I'm sure it's fine… ah! Woah!" Peter started flailing his arms as he slipped, leaning forward to catch himself with his hands.

"I told you!" Tony cried out to him.

Peter started laughing hysterically, standing back up to his feet on the side of the building. "I had no idea you were so gullible," he laughed. He surged forward, running towards the top of the skyscraper.

"That… that was NOT funny, Pete!" Tony scolded, flying up to follow his young protege.

"No… it was hilarious! You should've heard yourself!" Peter continued laughing as he approached the top of the building. He reached out his wrist and shot a web, pulling himself to the top with ease.

"Listen, Spider-Boy… " Tony said. "You are now my responsibility. If you won't listen to me, then I'll tell May!"

Peter rolled his eyes under the mask as he stood on top of the skyscraper, studying Iron Man as he hovered out ahead of him. "What makes me your responsibility?"

"That multi-million dollar suit you're wearing! That's what!" Tony called to him.

Peter couldn't help but to look down at his new red and blue suit. He knew it wasn't cheap to manufacture it, but it was still surprising to think that it could be that expensive. Peter shrugged, "I'll be fine, Mr. Stark. We put a parachute in it!"

"That's only for emergencies!" Tony answered, sounding every bit like a father scolding his son.

"Okay, but I still have these…" Peter called out, leaping off the roof.

"Peter!" Tony cried out, watching the kid free fall for a bit before activating his gliders.

"Yeah! This is awesome!" Peter cried happily as he soared through the air above the city.

This time Tony just chuckled at the youth's antics. "Fine… great… you're amazing, kid. Can we go back to the tower now. Remember, you're eating dinner with Pepper and I tonight. She told us not to be late!"

Peter deactivated his gliders and returned to using his webs, turning himself back in the direction of the tower. "You got it, Mr. Stark. I'll race you there!"

"And I'll be waiting for you outside," Tony said, answering the challenge by surging forward.

Peter sensed the Iron Man suit quickly coming up behind him. His spidey sense flared, warning him to quickly dodge out of the way. "Woah, hey!" Peter cried out, barely moving away in time as Tony surged by him. "And you tell me to be careful," he called to Tony as he pushed himself to swing faster and catch up.

"I wanted to test out that sixth sense of yours," Tony teased. "Seems to be working just fine."

Tony was smiling under his own mask. He had to admit that it was fun going out into the city with the kid. He was indeed the first to make it to the tower. He landed on the platform and retracted his helmet, turning to wait for Peter to join him. He could see the kid swinging and flipping through the air as he came towards him.

Soon enough, Peter landed on the platform with an impressive flip. "Superhero landing!" Peter cried out as he dropped into a dramatic stance in front of Tony.

Tony gave Peter a slow, unimpressed clap. "Wow… yep… good for you, kid. What took you so long? You get lost or something?" Tony laughed and turned towards the tower, letting the armor slip off of his body as he moved to go inside. He heard Peter following after him.

"Come on… you were impressed! Admit it, Mr. Stark," Peter called to him.

Tony was about to answer when he noticed another figure walking out to join them. "Hey look… guess you get to meet one of the team today, kid."

"What?" Peter asked, walking up to stand next to Tony. He followed Tony's gaze to see Captain America himself walking in their direction. "No way…" Peter breathed out, clearly in awe of the man walking towards them.

Steve studied the two men curiously. He was wearing a plaid button up shirt with a pair of nice khakis. Peter had never seen the man out of uniform, so it was a little surreal.

"Tony," Steve greeted, giving the man a friendly nod. "Who do you have here? A new friend?" Steve's tone was friendly, but he was clearly curious about the other person that arrived with Iron Man.

"Hey, Capsicle," Tony responded. "You're looking quite dapper. Hot date?" Tony teased.

Steve rolled his eyes. "No… actually, I just debriefed some of the others. We have new information on Rumlow's whereabouts. I'd like to fill you in if… uh" He looked in Peter's direction. "... If you're not too busy with your other friend."

Peter kept his mask in place, but decided to step forward and introduce himself. "Ahem…" He tried to lower his voice to sound a bit more impressive. "Captain America, sir," Peter gave him an awkward salute, earning an eye roll from Tony. "You can call me Spider-Man…" Peter extended his hand and Steve took it graciously, smirking at him.

Steve gave Peter's hand a firm pump but didn't let go right away. "Nice to meet you, Spider-Man. Go by any other names?" He asked while also testing the strength of Peter's grip.

The eyes of Peter's mask squinted at the man in suspicion. He could feel the captain's grip growing more firm. Peter didn't back down, choosing to show his own strength to the captain.

Steve's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't really expected the newcomer to match his grip so easily.

Tony cleared his throat. "How long are you two going to continue to gaze longingly into one another's eyes? Some of us have better things to do."

Peter was quick to rip his hand out of the other man's hold, clearly surprising Steve with how easily he could pull his hand away.

Steve looked at Tony with a smile in his eyes, "So… you bring us a new trainee, Tony?"

Tony smiled. "Not this time, Cap. Spidey here just dropped by for an upgrade. He prefers to lay low."

Peter let out a nervous laugh and added, "Yeah… you know… I'm just the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man."

"I see," Steve commented, studying Peter carefully. "That's too bad. It seems like you have a lot of potential."

Tony waved him off. "Aw… leave him be, Cap. Not everyone wants to join our boyband."

"Don't let Natasha or Wanda hear you say that. They don't like to be excluded, you know." Steve joked.

Peter chuckled at the friendly banter. "Well… uh… it seems like the two of you have lots to talk about." He backed up towards the edge of the platform. He decided it would be better if he didn't walk back into the tower with Steve there. Instead, he would find a place to change back into his clothes and return as Peter the intern.

Tony frowned at him. "Hey… don't forget… we have some more business later!" he called to him, referring to dinner with Pepper. "You got it, Mr. Stark." With that, Peter did a backflip off of the platform.

Steve took some quick steps forward. "Did he just…" referring to Peter's jump.

"He certainly did," Tony confirmed. They each heard Peter crying out with glee before seeing him swing off through the buildings.

"Huh…" Steve commented. "I wasn't expecting that." He looked back at Tony. "Sounds like he's on the younger side. Kid got a name?"

Tony shrugged, "Beats me. That guy is very secretive. Between you and me, I think he's hiding a hideous mug beneath that mask." Tony stepped forward, heading into the tower.

Steve took one final look in the direction Peter left before turning to follow Tony.

"So… you finally got new intel on Rumlow, huh?" Tony asked Steve.

"Natasha helped me get a solid lead on him," Steve confirmed. "We believe he's currently working in Lagos, Nigeria. Whatever he's up to, it isn't good."

The two men were walking side by side through the halls of the tower. Tony nodded at the man. "And just who all do you expect to take on this little Crossbones hunt of yours?"

"Natasha and I are going to take Sam and Wanda. It would be good for them to get some practice out in the field," Steve said.

Tony stopped walking, turning to look at him. "You sure that's a good idea? Taking them into a mission like this so soon could…"

"- I know what's at stake, Tony," Steve cut him off.

"Do you?" Tony challenged. "We're under some serious scrutiny, Cap."

Steve frowned, "And why is that again, Tony?"

Tony threw his hands up in surrender. "I get it. You don't have to remind me about Sokovia, Steve. I was there."

Steve sighed, backing down. "Rumlow is dangerous. We can't just let him go."

"That's not what I'm saying," He looked seriously at his teammate. "I just think this is something that might be better handled if it was just you and Natasha."

"Sam and Wanda are valuable, Tony. We need them," Steve responded.

Tony stuck his hands in his pockets and shrugged. He looked at Steve, "You really think they're ready for something like this?"

"I do," Steve told him. "And I wasn't really looking for your permission, Tony. I'm simply letting you know that we're going to be heading out."

Tony shook his head incredulously. "And I'm not invited?" he stated. The words could be taken as a joke, but Steve detected the fact that Tony was at least somewhat offended.

Steve tried to soften his gaze as he looked at his friend. "You know it's not like that. You've been busy." Steve looked back in the direction that Spider-Man left, clearly indicating that Tony was putting his attention elsewhere.

Tony wasn't really looking to get into an argument over this. He wasn't that interested in the mission anyway. "True," Tony relented, moving to walk forward again. "I have people here who need me."

"Like this mysterious intern we've heard so much about," Steve teased.

Tony froze. He really hoped Steve wouldn't connect the dots between Peter and Spider-Man. The kid had been upset enough when Tony admitted that Pepper knew his secret. After all, she had been right next to him when he watched the video of the kid giving himself away in the lab. "You got a problem with my intern, Mr. Rogers?" Tony challenged, an edge to his voice.

Steve threw his hands up in surrender, "Not at all. Just a little curious, I guess." Steve offered Tony a smile, trying to show that he meant no harm.

Tony nodded. "For your information, I am not always busy doing things with my intern. I actually have a commitment at MIT. I'm presenting some of my newest tech and gifting them with a rather generous sum of money."

"That's great, Tony," Steve told him. "Truly. Listen… Natasha and I will take care of things with Sam and Wanda. We'll all be able to sleep better once Rumlow is taken care of."

Tony nodded, "If you say so… just be careful, yeah?"

"Always," Steve answered, trying to sound reassuring.

With that, the two men parted ways, Steve heading back to find the others while Tony made his way to his penthouse. He just hoped the kid didn't have any trouble getting back into his civilian clothes and returning inside.

* * *

Fortunately, Peter was used to quick changes. His bigger challenge was finding a way to sneak the suit back inside. Luckily, he was able to acquire a brown paper bag.

Peter nodded to the people in the lobby as he went to the elevator, hoping no one asked him about the bag. He let out a sigh of relief when he made it to the elevator. "Hey FRIDAY, where's Mr. Stark right now?" Peter asked.

"Boss is waiting for you in the penthouse with Ms. Potts. He's granted you temporary Level 7 access. I will take you up to join him," FRIDAY responded.

Peter was excited. He had never been up to Tony's penthouse. Actually, he had never been inside of any penthouse. He only knew that they were supposed to be really nice homes. The elevator doors opened to a nice hallway. He stepped out to discover that this was merely an entryway. Large double doors stood ahead of him. Peter looked down at his clothes and quickly tried brushing the wrinkles out of his shirt. With a home this nice, Peter was regretting that he didn't try to wear anything nicer.

He raised up his hand to knock, when the door swung open to reveal none other than Pepper Potts. "Peter," she greeted warmly. "FRIDAY told me you arrived." She kindly opened up the door wider, motioning for him to come inside.

His eyes grew wide as he took in the sight of the beautiful home. The kitchen and living room alone were larger than his entire apartment in Queens. Realizing that he was being rude, he quickly turned to Pepper, "Uh… Thanks for having me, Ms. Potts."

She smiled at him and Peter was relieved to notice that she was dressed simply, wearing casual jeans and a colorful t-shirt. "Of course, I'm glad you made it. I was worried when Tony told me you both ran into Steve." She studied him a little closer. "It looks like you got yourself put back together without a problem." She studied the bag in his hands. "Is that the…"

Peter cut her off, "Oh! Yeah… I thought I should make sure no one would see it."

She raised an eyebrow, "Well… I'd like to see it sometime. I've heard so much about it."

"Sure, Ms. Potts." He looked at her feeling a little awkward. "Did you… I mean… did you want me to put it on now?"

She laughed, "No, no… That's alright. Another time. Why don't you place it here in the coat closet." She opened a door to the side. What she called a coat closet looked more like a small room to Peter, but he smiled and placed the bag just inside the door.

Pepper closed the door and turned to him as he asked, "Um… is Mr. Stark busy?" It wasn't that he didn't like Pepper. He just felt awkward without Tony there.

She gave him a friendly smile, "He'll be out shortly. He was just getting changed." She motioned for him to follow her to the kitchen. "Come on. You can help me finish setting the table."

"No problem, Ms. Potts. I'm happy to help."

"You can call me Pepper, you know," She told him, moving to open a cabinet and pull out some glasses.

"Good luck with that one, Pep," Tony said, coming around a corner to join them. Peter noticed he was also wearing jeans paired with a Led Zeppelin t-shirt. He supposed that he shouldn't be surprised. Most people prefer to be casual in the comfort of their own home. "I've been trying to get the kid to call me Tony for months," he added, throwing a wink at Peter.

"Aunt May…"

"- I know," Tony cut him off. "You're being respectful and all that." He looked at Pepper and planted a kiss on her cheek. "You hear that, hon? The kid thinks we're the respectable type."

"Well I certainly am," She joked, squinting at Tony. "You on the other hand… that's questionable."

"Hey… be nice to me, Pep. We have company." Tony smiled warmly at Peter.

Peter quickly washed his hands, earning an approving look from Pepper before helping to put the final dishes on the table.

The dinner itself was pretty uneventful. Pepper served some homemade pizza and salad, knowing that a teenager might not appreciate anything too fancy. Peter smiled appreciatively, enjoying the food immensely.

Tony insisted that Peter eat more, having learned about the metabolism that came as part of his enhanced abilities. Pepper didn't mind, especially since she prepared two full pies of pizza. In the end, Peter ate an entire pizza, plus a quarter of the other one. Rather to the amusement of Tony and Pepper.

Peter finally leaned back in his chair, rubbing at his stomach. "That was really good, Ms. Potts. Thank you!"

Pepper chuckled at him, "You're more than welcome. Now I know who to call when there are leftovers. I can just have you swing on by."

"Literally," Tony joked. "We can have a Spider-Man Swing-Through service. We'll just open the window and give him a doggy bag. No… a spidey bag."

Peter rolled his eyes at the joke, "Ha… ha… very funny." Peter looked over at the windows. "Do those even open?"

"Are you kidding?" Pepper asked. "Do you know how many windows we had to replace with Tony breaking through them in his suit? I finally convinced him to work on a design that would allow them to slide open."

Tony blushed in slight embarrassment, "I thought it looked cool to bust through the window, but Pep didn't really appreciate it."

"No… it gets drafty enough in here as it is," She scolded.

Peter couldn't help but to laugh at their banter. He decided that he rather enjoyed their company and felt completely at ease. "Really, though, I haven't had a dinner this good in a long time," Peter confessed.

Pepper frowned, "May doesn't cook?"

Peter let out a hearty laugh at the question. A laugh that gave Pepper chills. It reminded her of a laugh she hadn't heard in years.

She shrugged it off, "What's so funny?"

Peter shook his head a little. "It's not that May doesn't try, and I probably shouldn't laugh. But… she is probably the worst cook to ever live. I love her dearly, but her cooking… not so much. We typically get takeout or delivery. My uncle was the cook, actually. He used to make the best lasagna!" Peter's smile dropped a little at the mention of his uncle.

"You miss him a lot, don't ya Pete?" Tony asked gently.

"Yeah… sometimes I still expect to go home and find him reading in the living room," Peter admitted.

Tony nodded in understanding. "I get that. It's not easy."

Peter looked over at Tony, noticing that the man also had a haunted look in his eyes. Peter supposed people that were lost are never truly forgotten.

Pepper tried to revive the conversation. "May didn't miss you tonight?" She asked.

Peter shook his head. "No. She had to work the night shift at the hospital tonight. She didn't mind. I'll tell her all about it later."

"She sounds really special," Pepper added.

"You'd love her," Peter nodded in agreement.

Tony stood from the table, choosing that moment to begin cleaning up.

"I can help you, Mr. Stark," Peter offered.

"No, no… this is my job," Tony told him. "You stay there."

Pepper gave Peter a triumphant smile, "I have him well trained."

Tony walked the dishes over to the counter, ready to rinse them in the sink. He looked over at Peter and winked, "I get rewarded later."

"TONY!" Pepper scolded him. Her jaw dropping open.

Peter burst out laughing again.

"Honestly… what's wrong with you? Not in front of our guest!" She shook her head at him. She turned back to look at Peter, trying to think about why the boy's laughter seemed so familiar.

Tony also laughed. It wasn't the same as Peter's, but it held the same mirth. He continued to clear the table, all the while earning a playful glare from his girlfriend.

"Do you mind if I use your restroom?" Peter asked.

Pepper smiled at him. "Sure, Peter. It's just down that hallway. Second door on the right."

Peter politely excused himself from the table to use the bathroom. When finished, he studied himself in their mirror as he washed his hands. He couldn't help but to notice how relaxed he looked, even to his own eyes. It seemed like it had been so long since he felt like he could truly let his guard down and be himself. He smiled, drying his hands and exiting. He was making his way down the hallway when one photo in particular made him stop.

Peter glanced towards the kitchen to make sure Tony and Pepper weren't looking. When he saw that they were both busy, he turned back to take a closer look. In the picture he recognized Jennifer DeVega as she gazed lovingly down at her baby boy. It looked like a picture that was taken professionally not long after the little boy was born. Peter stared at the baby in the picture. The eyes were closed, and it looked like he was sleeping. The cheeks were a little chubby and the mouth was turned up just enough to make it look like he was smiling. The baby only had little wisps of brown hair on his head. Peter's breath caught. He couldn't help but to think that this baby could be him. He never saw pictures of himself as a baby, but something inside of him felt like the child was just as familiar as the woman holding him.

"Hey, Pete…" Tony called, making him jump a little. "... wanna see if we can beat Pepper in a round of monopoly?"

Peter quickly moved back towards the living room, rubbing his hands on his pants in discomfort. He looked at Tony and Pepper apologetically. "Actually, Mr. Stark… It's a school night, so I should probably get home and uh… finish my homework."

Tony looked at him skeptically, "You sure you aren't itching to put that suit back on?'

Peter laughed, "Um… no… I mean yes, but I do really need to uh… do my homework."

Pepper shrugged, "Another night then." She nodded towards the living room. "I forgot to tell you earlier, Tony brought up your backpack from the lab."

"Oh… thanks," Peter said, surprised.

"I was feeling generous," his mentor said, a playful gleam in his eye.

Peter was still feeling a little shaken from the photo in the hallway, and he really just wanted to get going before Tony and Pepper noticed. "Thanks again for everything. Really… dinner was great…" Peter kept his eyes on the adults as he quickly made a grab for his bag. If he had been paying attention, he would've noticed that it wasn't zipped. Unfortunately, he picked it up in such a way that the contents spilled to the floor. "Oh… sorry," he apologized.

"Let me help you," Pepper offered, moving to join him.

"It's okay, Ms. Potts. I wasn't paying attention. It's my fault," Peter told her.

Pepper just waved her hand at him. "Don't worry. It's not a problem."

"You know, kid," Tony teased. "For a so-called superhero, you sure are clumsy."

Pepper shook her head, "Ignore him."

Peter just laughed nervously as he quickly tried to toss his things back into his bag. He had pretty much gathered up all of his things when he noticed Pepper reaching for a picture. The picture. "Oh… I can take that," Peter tried to say quickly.

"Aw… is this you?" She picked up the picture in an attempt to take a closer look. A haunted look crossed her face as she snapped her head up to look at Peter.

"Um… yeah," Peter snatched it out of her hand and quickly secured it in his bag, zipping it closed and standing up. "It's just a picture of me with my mom… I like to keep it with me…" he fumbled out the explanation as he moved towards the door, throwing his backpack over his shoulder.

"Don't forget the suit, Pete," Tony called after him.

Peter quickly snatched the bag out of the closet. When he closed the door, he found Pepper hot on his heels. She still had a surprised and confused look on her face. "Peter?" She questioned, studying him for a bit.

"Sorry to be in a rush, Ms. Potts. I just remembered that I have a Spanish quiz tomorrow that I haven't really studied for," he offered in a way of quick explanation.

She simply nodded, "Um… sure. That's fine."

"Thanks again, Ms. Potts. I'll see you later, Mr. Stark!" Peter called, pulling the door open.

Pepper just blinked at the door as Peter closed it behind him.

"And here I thought the kid had manners," Tony commented, moving over towards Pepper.

Pepper was lost to her thoughts. She could've sworn she knew the little boy in that picture. Her mind flashed to her best friend's little boy. She saw images of Jenny holding a boy with the same brown hair as the boy in Peter's picture. She also realized why Peter's laughter sounded familiar. It was Jenny's laugh.

"You alright, Pep?" Tony asked. "You look a little stunned. You find porn in Pete's bag or something?" he joked.

She just shook her head. It was impossible. She knew very well that TJ was gone. Her mind was simply playing tricks on her. She smiled at her boyfriend, "No… of course not. It's just… the picture of Peter with his mom…" For a moment she debated telling him how much it reminded her of TJ, but then she thought better of it. There was no sense ruining a nice evening by bringing up something so sad. It was never easy for Tony to think about the son he lost.

"What about it?" Tony asked curiously.

Pepper shook her head, deciding to say something else. "... it's just sad to think that he never knew his parents."

"The kid sure has had it rough," Tony agreed. "It's a miracle he's turned out as well as he has. It goes to show just how good his aunt and uncle were to him, I guess."

"Yeah…" Pepper agreed. "I wish he would tell his aunt about being Spider-Man. I feel bad keeping that secret from her."

Tony shrugged. "It isn't really our secret to tell, Pep. The kid has a good head on his shoulders. He'll figure it out." He wrapped his arms around her. "Now… how about you show me how much you appreciate what a helper I am in the kitchen."

Pepper giggled at the suggestion. "Oh Tony…" She turned herself around so that she could look into his eyes. She simply blinked at him and smirked, "You're not that good of a helper. The dishwasher does the work for you." With that she pulled away, laughing at the shocked look on his face.

"I designed that dishwasher!" Tony argued back, watching her walk towards their bedroom. "Pepper? Hey… wait for me!"

* * *

Outside the tower, Peter stopped to catch his breath. What was he thinking? That was his chance. He couldn't believe he just took off without even trying. Surely, Pepper recognized him in the picture. Or did she?

How could he know? He left like such a coward! He shook his head, removing his backpack so that he could shove his suit in there as well. He didn't really want to carry two bags on the subway. He probably could've gotten Happy to drive him home, but he didn't really want to go back in the tower tonight.

With a sigh of disappointment in his own behavior, Peter threw his backpack back on and started for home. Perhaps this was the sign he needed to finally let this rest. He loved the relationship he had with Mr. Stark right now. There was really no need for anything to change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's impossible for Pepper to recognize Peter, right? Right? Goodness... will we ever get to the bottom of this? We will... but you'll have to wait until the next chapter :)


	9. B.A.R.F.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are you ready for this? I'm not sure you're ready for this, but here it is anyway. ;)

Peter was grateful to discover that things didn't change between him and Mr. Stark. If Ms. Potts had noticed something, she didn't mention it to Tony. Peter looked up to the man more and more everyday. He admired Mr. Stark's innovative spirit and commitment to his role as Iron Man. It seemed like his mentor perfectly balanced the creative mind of Tony Stark with the heroics of being an Avenger. Peter realized that Tony clearly stayed up-to-date with the team while Peter was at school during the day, and he saved his lab time for later so that he could work with Peter as his side. At least, that seemed to be the case on the days when Peter was scheduled to be there.

It was a Wednesday afternoon when Mr. Stark met Peter in the lobby, excitedly telling him that he wanted Peter to see his latest project. It was currently set up in the Beta lab, where some of his employees were working on the finishing touches. It was scheduled to be shipped up to MIT for a demonstration, but Tony wanted to show it to Peter first.

As they were on their way up to the lab, Tony said, "You're going to love it, kid. It's holographic illusion tech. While it could have many applications, I'm going to present it as somewhat of a therapeutic device." He smiled at Peter, "I call it Binarily Augmented Retro-Framing. Do you get what the acronym will be?"

Peter lifted an amused eyebrow at the man. "Are you seriously going to call this thing B.A.R.F?" He shook his head and laughed a little, "Are you sure you want to do that? I thought you wanted to be taken more seriously, Mr. Stark?" Peter teased.

Tony smiled, "Yeah… you're right. I should probably work on that acronym." They exited the elevator, and Tony motioned for Peter to follow him. It was rare for Peter to actually go to the Beta Lab. Tony preferred working with Peter in the privacy of the Alpha Lab much more.

FRIDAY's voice could be heard as they entered, "Beta Lab. Welcome Peter. Welcome Boss."

Peter's eyes went wide as he saw what was clearly the project that Mr. Stark wanted to show him. There was a space framed out ahead of them with white shapes acting as some form of stage prop. "Woah…" Peter marveled. "... so cool."

The man clearly in charge of the project turned to greet them, and Peter quickly recognized him as the man that he met on his first day at the tower, Quentin Beck. He offered Peter a friendly smile that seemed a bit forced, "Thank you, Peter. I'm really proud of this work." Beck turned an admiring eye to it, "This could truly change the world."

"Whatever you say, Quentin. I appreciate you putting _my_ research together for this one," Tony stared Beck down, clearly indicating that the project was his brain child.

Beck looked back at Tony in annoyance, "At the very least, it was a joint effort. It's a shame you haven't had the time to work on _your_ research more lately, Tony." He eyed Peter, "Seems that you've been a bit… busy."

Tony nodded, "That I have, Beck. I'm a very busy man. I appreciate your willingness to put together the pieces of _my puzzle_."

Peter was quiet during the awkward exchange. It was clear that the two men were at odds for who should really get credit for the work. Ultimately, it was his mentor's company, so he supposed the credit would go to him.

It was quiet for a moment before Beck said, "Just tell me the rumors about the name for this brilliant piece of technology are false."

"What's wrong with Binarily Augmented Retro-Framing?" Tony asked innocently.

Beck scowled, "How about the embarrassing acronym to go with it? I feel like I should have some say in naming this… _sir_." Beck added the last part with a tone of forced formality and respect.

Peter was really growing uncomfortable with the whole exchange. He thought perhaps he had just discovered the reason Tony hated to be called 'sir' so much.

For a moment, Peter thought Tony would continue to argue with the man. Instead, his mentor took a deep breath and leveled Beck with a stare that clearly indicated he was the one in authority here. "Quentin, how about we worry about the semantics later? Let's just fire it up and make sure we're ready for the presentation. You think you can manage that?"

A look of indignation crossed Beck's face, but he nodded and moved over to a panel that Peter assumed would activate the holographic technology.

Tony gently pulled Peter back a few steps as Beck activated the tech in front of him. Peter's eyes went wide as the hologram came to life. "Woah… no way…" Peter's eyes widened even more as people appeared. It took a moment for him to recognize them and he looked over at his mentor. "Is that… that can't be…"

Tony nodded, a hint of sadness in his eyes. "Peter Parker… meet my parents, Howard and Maria Stark."

Peter's jaw dropped open, "It looks like I could walk right up to them and shake their hands."

Tony smiled a little, "I wish, kid."

Peter continued to watch as a third individual stood up from a couch. "Oh my god… Mr. Stark… is that you?"

"Handsome devil, aren't I?" Tony's eyes twinkled at Peter as they watched the younger version of Tony stand up to talk to his parents.

Tony frowned, "Is there a reason we're watching a silent film, Beck? There will be audio to go with this, yes?" Peter noticed that Tony's voice didn't sound so much annoyed as it did hopeful. He wondered if the man longed to hear his parent's voices again. Peter could understand that need. He often wished for a chance to talk to his uncle or hear his voice one more time. Or even hear the voices of Mary and Richard Parker… he didn't think he even remembered the sound of their voices.

Peter finally looked over at Beck as the man worked at the panel. His brows were furrowed in concentration. "Of course. I'm just trying to clean it up a little. There's this faint echo that needs to be sorted out."

Tony rolled his eyes at Beck, "Step aside… let me see what's happening."

Beck reluctantly complied as Tony stepped over to the panel.

"Well… here's your problem right here." Tony tapped at the screen. "Easy…" Tony pressed a button and looked up at the hologram in time to hear his own young voice say, "I love you, dad."

Peter felt a little emotional hearing those words from the holographic image of his beloved father figure. He longed to say those words to his own father. He looked at the real Tony and then back at the holographic version. He was once again struck by the similarities between himself and that younger version of Tony Stark. Sure, his mentor was a little older here… likely in college or maybe his early twenties, but the similarities were there.

When Peter glanced back over in Tony's direction, he noticed a curious Quentin Beck staring at him, glancing over at the younger version of Tony as well. Peter quickly turned away, not wanting Beck to see the similarities and ask any questions.

Tony could be heard clearing his throat a little, likely trying to hide some of his own emotions. "I think that should do it. We can shut her down for today… get it packed up."

Peter looked back over his shoulder and watched as the images seemed to melt away. It truly was fascinating. He turned back around as he heard Tony approaching him once more. "So kid… what did you think?" he asked Peter curiously.

Peter cleared his own throat, "That was… wow… yeah… that was incredible, Mr. Stark."

Tony smiled proudly at Peter. "I know… What will _I_ think of next?"

Peter caught Beck glaring at the back of Tony's head. Oh yeah… these two were definitely at odds for who gets the credit.

"We'll have this ready for the presentation at MIT, Tony. The grunts will do all the heavy lifting, so you'll have nothing to worry about," Beck spat out.

Tony frowned but said nothing in response. He looked over to the side. "Actually… I was hoping to move the original prototype up to Alpha Lab. I have granted you temporary access, Beck. I was hoping you could help Pete set it up… show him how it works. I'd like to work on something special."

Beck looked at Tony in confusion, "And you need to move it upstairs for that?"

Tony shrugged, "It's personal."

Beck scoffed, lifting a hand towards the newer version that would be going to MIT. "And this wasn't?" he questioned.

Tony finally ran out of patience. "Just do it, Quentin!"

"And where will _you_ be while your intern and I move this upstairs for you?" Beck asked in annoyance.

Peter was a little curious about that as well. He noticed Tony giving him an apologetic look. "Unfortunately, I have a phone call with a rather impatient Secretary of State. It can't really be avoided," Tony explained.

"Of course," Beck said. "Official business."

Peter was once again uncomfortable. The tension between these two men was palpable.

Tony got Peter's attention. "You alright with this, Peter? I shouldn't be too long." He glared at Beck, "I just need someone I trust to help move the B.A.R.F. prototype to Alpha Lab."

"Umm… sure, Mr. Stark. It won't be a problem," Peter said, offering Beck a shy smile. "I'm sure Mr. Beck and I will be just fine."

Tony nodded. "Great. Good… glad that's all settled." He gave Peter a sorrowful look. "I'm sorry that I have to cut our time short. With any luck, I'll be able to join you in the lab before too long."

"Okay," Peter told him, wanting to look confident. He didn't really want his mentor to see how apprehensive he was about working without him. His mentor was trusting him with something important after all.

Tony nodded again. "FRIDAY," he called to his AI. "Keep an eye on things for me, will ya sweetheart?" He sent a warning look to Beck. "Let me know if anyone gives my intern a hard time."

"Will do, Boss," The AI assured.

With that, Tony offered Peter another nod and apologetic look before excusing himself.

Peter swallowed nervously and looked at Beck. "So… where should we start?"

* * *

Quentin Beck could not believe how arrogant his boss was. How could Stark bring his intern to the lab and act like he didn't deserve more credit for this technology?

He and Peter were now upstairs in the lab with the Avenger's gear, setting up his prototype for the holographic illusion tech. He didn't care what Tony Stark said. This was _his_ work!

He watched as the Parker kid easily reassembled the prototype with very little direction. He couldn't help but to offer the kid an approving smile. "I have to say, Peter. You're good. How did you know to put that there?" he asked, nodding his head at the piece of the prototype Peter was putting back together.

Peter blushed slightly. "Oh… uh… it just made the most sense, I guess," he shrugged a little in response.

Beck nodded at him in approval, studying the young man carefully. "So, Peter… you liked this holographic illusion tech, didn't you?"

Peter kept working as he answered, "Definitely. I've never seen anything like it."

Beck didn't miss the way Peter resembled the younger version of his boss. As a matter of fact, there were a lot of things about this kid that reminded him of Tony Stark. He couldn't help but wonder if there was more to this kid than met the eye. "Yeah…" Beck said. "... it sure is something, isn't it. Nothing like it." Of course, Beck wasn't really referring to B.A.R.F. at this point. He was thinking more about the relationship between Peter and Tony.

"Tell me about yourself, kid," Beck said, continuing his own work as he talked to Peter.

Peter looked mildly surprised by the request. "Um… What would you like to know, Mr. Beck?"

"Let's start simple. How old are you?" the man asked.

Peter smiled politely. "15… I'm a sophomore at Midtown School of Science and Technology."

Beck nodded. "I don't recall ever having an intern here that was so young or that works so closely with the boss… and in this lab no less."

Peter looked at the lab space around him. "Oh… yeah… I guess Mr. Stark likes to keep a close eye on me… because I'm younger, you know?

What Peter suggested was possible, but Beck definitely still had his doubts. "I suppose," Beck shrugged. "Was this some opportunity that your school offered? Midtown has a pretty good reputation."

"It does," Peter agreed. "I'm really lucky to go there. Uh… but I actually didn't learn about the internship there."

Beck stopped working and looked at Peter, leaning his head to the side and giving Peter a look that clearly indicated he expected further explanation.

Peter laughed. "Can you keep a secret?"

This was it. The kid was about to spill everything. Beck nodded, eagerly awaiting the explanation.

"I lied about my age and faked some college credentials on my application," Peter admitted.

Beck frowned. Damn! That was not nearly as interesting as he thought it might be. "Seriously? That made Stark give you the internship that most kids could only dream about?"

"Kinda," Peter shrugged. "Mr. Stark caught on to my lies. He figured out that I faked things on my application. He wanted to meet the kid who thought they could pull one over on him, I guess. I don't know if he really expected to like me or my work. Turns out… I impressed him enough because… next thing I know…" Peter didn't finish. Instead, he just used his hands to motion towards their surroundings.

"Huh…" Beck mused. "Well, I can see why he was impressed. I haven't had to give you many instructions on how to put this thing back together." Beck stood back from the technology, looking over their progress. "Seems like we're almost done."

Peter had been kneeling down, but stood to step over towards Beck. "Yeah… I don't think it'll take us much longer. We just need to put up the panel."

Beck nodded. "Exactly." He studied Peter again as the kid moved to grab the necessary parts. "Just why do you think Stark wants this up here?" he questioned Peter.

Peter looked genuinely surprised. "You're asking me? How would I know?"

Beck shrugged. "I thought maybe he said something to you."

Peter shook his head, indicating that he had no knowledge of the other man's plans.

Beck looked around, taking in the equipment and gear for Earth's mightiest heroes. "It could do so much more, you know?"

"What?" Peter asked, clicking the panel in place and securing it with the turn of a screwdriver.

Beck nodded at the tech in front of them. "This… what Stark had the gall to name B.A.R.F." Beck shook his head in frustration. He still had a hard time understanding why his boss had to give this technology such a demeaning name. "It could be used for so much more than _therapeutic_ purposes." He spat out the word 'therapeutic,' clearly indicating his dislike.

Peter put the screwdriver down and looked at Beck in curiosity. "Like what?"

"Think about it, Peter. You said it yourself… you felt like you could walk right up to those holographic images and shake their hands. It was that realistic! If people didn't know any better, they would actually believe those people were truly there!" Beck insisted.

Peter frowned. "So?"

"So?" Beck repeated, sounding irritated that Peter wasn't seeing the big picture. "Look around us, kid. He brought this up to Avengers territory. He probably wants to use this tech for the team." He moved over next to Peter's side, wrapping his arm around the kid's shoulder with one arm and using the other arm to gesture around the room at all of the Avenger items. "Picture this… the world watches in awe as the Avengers fend off the newest threat. Only the Avengers aren't actually fighting. They're sitting in their lounge with their feet up… letting the world believe that they're doing all the heavy lifting!"

Peter scoffed, "That would never happen." He gestured to the tech in front of them. "What are they going to do? Frame out a battle area somewhere in the city? It would never work!"

"Not in its primitive form, no," Beck agreed. "But then again… this is the great Tony Stark. I'm willing to bet he could figure out how to make this work with those drones of his! I actually started doing some preliminary work on it. Believe me… it's possible."

"Mr. Stark has drones?" Peter asked.

"Of course he does! He's Tony Stark! Of course Iron Man has drones, kid!"

Peter blinked in surprise. Everything that Beck suggested was ludicrous. Mr. Stark would never deceive people like that. "Still, Mr. Beck… what you're proposing is impossible. The Avengers aren't going to manipulate people like that. That's not what they do!"

"If you say so," The man relented, stepping away from Peter to survey the prototype that was now back together. "But tell me something… What personal reason could Iron Man have to bring technology like this into the space where he works on things for the Avengers?"

Peter was getting annoyed at the implication that his mentor could have ulterior motives. "I'm sure it's none of our business," Peter spat out bitterly, surprising the other man with his tone. Peter took a deep breath to steady himself. "Sorry… I didn't mean it like that. It's just…."

"- you trust him," Beck finished for him. Earning a nod from the younger man in affirmation. "Of course you do. Why should any of us doubt the great Tony Stark?" Beck studied the young man again. "What makes you trust him so much, Peter? Just who is Tony Stark to you? I mean… really?"

Beck could tell that the question struck a nerve. Peter tried to hide his surprise and discomfort at the question, but Beck saw it. He saw the battle behind the kid's eyes as he tried to hold in his emotions. There was obviously something more going on. There was some other connection between Peter Parker and Tony Stark. The man treated the kid like a son. Beck wondered if that was it. Was it possible that Peter was somehow a long lost son?

That was when it hit him. Peter was fifteen years old. Could that possibly line up with Stark's missing son… the one who disappeared all those years ago? Is that what they were hiding?

Beck's thoughts were interrupted when Peter finally got up the nerve to try giving an answer to the questions. "You want to know who Mr. Stark is to me, Mr. Beck? He's a hero! My hero! And he would never use any of his technology to hurt people! Never!"

Beck shook his head at Peter. "Oh yeah? Tell that to the people of Sokovia."

Peter glared at Beck. "We're done in here. I think you should leave before FRIDAY revokes your clearance to this lab."

Beck nodded. "You're probably right, Peter. I should go make sure _my tech_ is ready to be presented to MIT in a few days." Beck turned, walking towards the exit. Before he left he called back to Peter over his shoulder. "You should be more careful about who you trust, kid!" With that final statement. Beck walked out of the lab and left Peter Parker behind.

Beck stormed off down the hallway. He stopped to catch his breath, turning to go inside of a restroom. He took a quick look to make sure that no one was inside with him. The restrooms were one of the few places where employees were offered privacy from Stark's AI. He pulled out his cellphone, quickly dialing a number.

It only rang a few times before his contact picked up the call. "William? Yeah… it's Quentin." He looked once more around the restroom. "I need you to do something for me." He smiled to himself as he listened to the other man's willingness to comply on the other end of the call. "You still have access to your old boss' files?" He frowned. "Of course I'm talking about Obadiah Stane, you idiot! Answer the question. Do you have them or not?" He smiled and nodded. "Perfect. I need you to do a search for me." Beck glanced towards the door with a sinister gleam in his eyes. "I want you to look up anything Stane had on Stark's son… the one who disappeared. And find any connection you can to the name Parker… Peter Parker."

* * *

Peter would be lying if he said he wasn't disappointed. He was in the lab a little longer, waiting to see if Mr. Stark finished. However, FRIDAY informed him that his mentor would be tied up for a longer period of time.

Peter decided he had his fill for the day. The conversation with Beck rattled him, and he decided he'd rather be home. He had homework to do anyway.

He grabbed his bag and quickly headed out. Once he was outside and making his way home, he finally let himself relax. He pulled out his phone, finding a text from his friend and sending a quick reply. _(Use[link](https://pin.it/2Flldml) if image does not appear below)_

It wasn't long before Ned responded again. _(Use[link](https://pin.it/1Y9irHA) if image below does not appear)._

Peter shook his head. Normally, it would be pretty cool, but this time it took away valuable time he and Tony could've had in the lab together. He shrugged and sent another response. _(Use[link](https://pin.it/6UlVnw4) if image below does not appear)._

He and Ned had a project to work on for school. He decided it would be better to do something productive for school tonight. He and Mr. Stark could do something together another day. Peter was disappointed, but he understood that his mentor had other responsibilities.

There wasn't really any reason for Peter to believe that Mr. Stark would make him a priority anyway. Being his son had been nothing more than a fantasy. It might as well have been an illusion created by B.A.R.F.

* * *

Tony was frustrated. The teleconference with Ross went on far too long. He would've preferred spending his time with Peter. He felt guilty for leaving the kid with Beck… the guy was such an asshole.

Ross was being relentless. The Secretary of State discovered that Steve left with other members of the team to track down Rumlow, and he believed he was entitled to know all the details. Tony didn't give in, though. He may not have liked that Cap ran off with some trainees, but he was loyal to his teammates. He refused to give Ross any details about where Steve and the others were. He didn't trust Ross. He knew the man would interfere, and that could disrupt any progress that the team had already made. No… it was better to keep Ross out of it right now.

Tony sighed as he entered Alpha Lab to see if Beck and Peter had finished reassembling the B.A.R.F. prototype. He was disappointed when FRIDAY informed him of Peter's departure, but he understood that the kid likely had some other things to do. They would make up for the lost time another day.

Tony needed something good to end his day. So far, nothing about this day had really gone according to plan. He was hopeful that he could turn things around with the B.A.R.F. prototype. Seeing his parents one more time made Tony realize that he needed to see some other people as well. He desperately needed to see Jenny and TJ again.

Tony went over to the panel. "FRI… pull up the image I like of TJ and Jenny from September 11, 2004." Tony smiled when the picture appeared. It was a picture from a gala to support those who were impacted by 9/11. He and Jenny began hosting the gala as a way to raise money for the families who lost loved ones that day. In 2004, they took TJ to the gala. The photo in front of him showed Jenny in a long black evening gown, holding the hand of little TJ at the event. His son was dressed in black pants with a white shirt that included little suspenders. Tony loved this picture because it looked every bit like his son was smiling at the cameras while clutching his mother's hand. It was the last photo that he had of his wife and son before they were killed… with the exception of the crime scene photos… but those certainly didn't count.

"Alright, FRIDAY… isolate the images of Jenny and TJ. Project them using B.A.R.F will you dear?" Tony asked his AI sweetly.

"Right away, Boss," FRIDAY responded, empathy somehow present in her artificial voice.

Tony swallowed past the lump that was forming in his throat as their forms appeared in front of him… so lifelike. He would have to do more work if he wanted the holographic illusions to move and speak, but he was content just to see them at the moment. "That's perfect, FRI. Keep it right there," he said.

Tony straightened out his suit jacket as he stepped into the image. He let out a sad smile at the form of Jenny and their little boy. "I should've been with you when this picture was taken," he told Jenny's form sadly. He looked down at little TJ, kneeling down to be eye level with the projection. "There was no reason for me to wait for you inside, buddy. This should've been a family photo." Tony looked away for a moment, fighting the tears that threatened to fall. "I should've been there for you, little man. You needed me… and I wasn't there." Tony dropped his head to his chest. He was no longer talking about that evening at the gala. He was talking about that fateful night. The one that left such deep scars on his heart.

He continued to kneel in front of his son's image. He brought his hands to his face, finally allowing the tears to fall. He was glad he had the prototype brought upstairs to this lab. He needed privacy for this moment. He couldn't have just anyone walking in and interrupting him. Only the people closest to him had access to this lab. People like…

"Tony?" The soft, gentle voice of Pepper was heard as she entered the lab, as if on cue. She must have seen him breaking down because she rushed to his side. "Oh, Tony!" Pepper was there, kneeling down in front of him and gently taking his hands into her own. "Hey… look at me… take deep breaths, okay?"

Tony complied with her request, realizing now that he was on the verge of hyperventilating. Clearly, he let his emotions get the better of him. He wasn't sure how much time passed before he felt his heart return to a normal rhythm and breathing came easier.

Pepper studied her boyfriend's face. "You think you can stand now?" she asked tenderly.

Tony nodded and let her guide him to a standing position. Once they were back on their feet they both gazed longingly at Jenny's form. Pepper released one of Tony's hands, reaching out in an attempt to touch her best friend once more. Her hand went through Jenny's image, breaking the hologram for a moment before she pulled it away.

She looked back at Tony, "So this is what you were up to?"

Tony shrugged. "I just… I wanted to see them," he confessed.

Pepper smiled sweetly, allowing her gaze to fall on the little boy. "I miss them, too," she admitted. "They look so…" She couldn't finish her thought, but Tony knew her well enough to finish the sentence.

"...alive," Tony finished.

Pepper smiled, nodding her head in agreement. She looked down at TJ again. "Do you… I mean… sometime I wonder…" Pepper stopped herself, unsure if she should finish her thought.

Tony studied her face, curious to see what she was thinking. "What is it, Pep? It's okay… you can tell me."

Pepper looked thoughtful for a moment. She couldn't forget the way Peter's laugh reminded her of Jenny's or the photo he carried in his bag. It was a stupid thought, but her curiosity was getting the better of her. "Do you ever wonder what TJ would look like? You know… if he were… still here?" she asked, doing her best to keep her voice calm and steady as she asked the question.

Tony nodded, following her gaze to the image of his little boy. "I do," he answered honestly. A look of determination crossed his face, as he pulled Pepper with him to step out of the holographic illusion. "FRIDAY… isolate the image of Tony, Jr."

"One moment, Boss," FRIDAY responded.

Pepper looked at Tony in surprise. "Wait… what are you… are you going to…"

Tony raised a finger to her lips, gently silencing her. "Wait until you see what this thing can do," he smiled at her. "It made me look like a college kid again, so surely we can render an image of what TJ would look like at 15 years old."

Pepper's jaw dropped open. She expected them to have a conversation. She didn't expect Tony to conjure up an image. She realized that she should've known better, especially with this technology at his fingertips.

"Image isolated, Boss," FRIDAY confirmed, showing only TJ as he now stood alone in his black pants, white shirt, and suspenders.

Tony smiled. "God… he was a dapper little fella, wasn't he?" he asked, turning to look at Pepper. Pepper was standing next to him, still stunned by the possibility of seeing TJ at an older age. Tony took a steadying breath. "Alright, FRIDAY. Initiate age progression. Let me see my boy as if he were standing next me today."

Pepper held her breath, uncertain of what she was about to see. However, some part of her brain already had an image rendered in her mind.

TJ's form grew right before their very eyes. It was as if they were watching the boy grow in rapid time. In the blink of an eye, the boy grew into a handsome young man around the age of 15. "Image rendered, Boss," FRIDAY confirmed.

Tony blinked at the image in front him, and Pepper audibly gasped.

"Oh my god…" Pepper breathed out, staring at the image.

"What…" Tony was losing control of his breathing again as he stared at the holographic projection in front of him. He took a couple steps forward, needing to get a closer look. "FRIDAY… are you sure about this?" He asked urgently.

"Yes, Boss," the AI answered sweetly.

Tony was starting to feel lightheaded as he stared at the young man in front of him. He shook his head, "But… that… that's not p-possible," he stuttered out.

Pepper shook her head. "Or… it's very possible. Tony, that's…"

She was interrupted by a third person entering the lab. James Rhodes stormed in, looking annoyed. "There you are, Tony! What the hell are you doing messing around in here? I need to know everything that you and Ross talked about. We can't mess around with this." Rhodes came to join his friends by the holographic illusion. He became confused upon taking in the stunned expressions on his friends' faces. "What the matter?" he finally asked. "The two of you are acting like you've just seen a ghost."

"Maybe we have…" Pepper croaked out, earning an even more confused look from Rhodes.

"What the hell is wrong with you two?" he questioned.

"Rhodey…" Tony started, sounding breathless. "Who do you see in this holographic image?"

Rhodes looked at Tony in surprise, wondering why Tony was acting like the answer wasn't obvious. "What do you mean? Tony, what the…"

"Answer the question, Rhodes!" Pepper scolded, cutting him off.

Rhodey studied the image quickly, throwing up his hands. "I see Tony's intern looking like he's ready to go to prom or something! Seriously… what game are you two playing here?"

"You see Peter?" Pepper confirmed. "Are you sure?"

"Well… I mean I've only seen him in videos, but… yes. That looks like Peter Parker to me!" Rhodes said, still sounding utterly confused.

Tony put a hand on Pepper's shoulder in an attempt to steady himself. He looked over at Rhodey. "I… uh… I think you might be right," Tony nodded to his friend. He let out one surprised laugh before completely blacking out and falling to the floor, barely giving Pepper and Rhodes a chance to catch him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoomp... there it is! I've been dying to write this final scene. (And the one that come's next!)
> 
> I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I liked writing it! :)


	10. Son

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Buckle up and get your tissues ready. This one's going to be an emotional roller coaster.
> 
> On a side note, I would love some art for this fic. If you feel inspired to create something to go with this story as you read it, let me know. I would be happy to share your work and make sure credit goes where it is due!

Tony felt like he was under water, which was strange because he didn't remember jumping in the pool. He blinked as the sights and sounds around him slowly came into focus. There was a blurry figure moving around in front of his face.

"Tony?! Hey…" There was something tapping his face. Was that a hand?

He blinked and groaned, sucking in a deep breath and blowing it out slowly. Oh… it was Rhodey. His best friend was kneeling down in front of him, looking to be a strange combination of worried, confused, and annoyed.

Tony felt another presence, too. Turning his head to look behind him, he found Pepper there. Actually… his girlfriend was partly underneath of him, cradling him from behind. He looked down to see her arms securely wrapped around his midsection as if catching him. Did she catch him? Did he remember falling?

Rhodes snapped his fingers in front of Tony's face, effectively regaining his attention. "Hey! Tones… you with us, man?"

Tony let out another groan as he looked around. "What the hell… what happened?" He studied Rhodes, looking for an answer.

The other man shook his head and threw his hands in the air with a shrug. "You're asking me what happened? I'm still trying to figure that out for myself!"

"Ugh… okay. Help us up, will ya?" Tony groaned out, moving so that he was no longer putting Pepper in the uncomfortable position she was in.

"Careful, Tony!" Pepper warned softly, keeping her arms around him as they moved back to their feet.

Rhodes continued. "I mean seriously, guys. Let a brother in on whatever the hell has you so rattled! One minute, I'm coming to talk to you about Ross. The next minute, I'm looking at a hologram of your intern and then you're crashing to the floor!"

Tony's eyes widened and he felt Pepper's steady arms around him once more. "Holy shit…" Tony breathed out, slowly turning his head to look back at the aforementioned holographic image of his intern… Peter Parker… his son?

"Tony…" Pepper said from behind him. "It's really him. That's actually Peter… this whole time it's been him…"

"What?! What's wrong with Peter? What about him?" Rhodes demanded, clearly agitated to be out of the loop. His arms were firmly crossed in front of him and his body language was stiff and rigid.

"FRIDAY…" Tony called out to his AI quietly, forcing himself to remain calm. "Reverse progression… show us the original image."

Rhodes frowned in confusion, turning to the image to see whatever it was his friend was doing with his newest technology. The tension in Rhodey's body melted away as he watched. His arms dropped to his side, his eyes widening as his jaw dropped open. FRIDAY took the image back to one that he wasn't expecting to see… an adorable picture of his godson… TJ. "Woah, woah… hold on just one damn minute! What is this? What just happened?"

"It's TJ…" Pepper smiled in disbelief. "Rhodes… I think… I think we just found TJ. It's been Peter this whole time."

"What? How…" Rhodey's words broke off as he looked at his best friend. Tony was incredibly pale. His friend was uncharacteristically quiet, staring at the image of his son. It was like Rhodes could see the gears spinning away in Tony's head as he tried to comprehend this whole thing. This wasn't right. It couldn't be. It was impossible. "FRIDAY, do it again! Whatever you did before…" Rhodes called out.

It was a clumsy request since Rhodes still didn't totally understand, but the highly advanced AI understood. The three friends watched carefully as the image of Tony's two year old son progressed forward to the age of fifteen. Once again… they were staring at Peter. TJ's doppelganger.

"Can this be real?" Tony finally asked, taking a tentative step away from Pepper and back towards the image. He pointed at the image and turned to his friends, "We all agree, right? This indicates that… that Peter Parker is the living, breathing version of Tony, Jr. That's what we're seeing here?"

"I think it is," Pepper told him, her eyes filled with wonder, awe, and a hint of tears.

Rhode's shook his head. "But… I thought… I mean… I hate to be the downer here, guys, but TJ's dead. Isn't he? Fury showed us…"

"-Did he?" Tony cut his friend off, his face brightening with excitement. "What did we see?" He started pacing around quickly. "I mean… I know what we thought we saw, but…"

"-We never saw his face. Or even his body for that matter," Pepper chimed in, her mouth quirking into a hope-filled smile. "There was only movement inside of a blanket. It could've been anything!"

Rhodes continued shaking his head. "Listen… I want to believe this as much as you, but…" He took a step forward, placing a firm yet gentle hand on Tony's shoulder. "You need to be absolutely certain about this, Tones. I don't want you getting hurt or falling apart when you find out the Parker kid is just a look-a-like."

Tony shook his head. "That's one hell of a look-a-like, Rhodey." He studied his friend's face, seeing the concern in the other man's eyes. Tony nodded, "You're right, though. We need… uh…." Tony was looking around the lab, his eyes searching for something. "We need something more definitive." He stepped away from Rhodes, his friend and Pepper watching him curiously. "FRIDAY! Give me something… I need something that Peter touched! What do we have with traces of Peter's DNA?!"

"Searching lab video archives, Boss," FRIDAY answered, sounding determined and eager to assist.

Tony didn't wait. He moved over to the Spider-Man work station, looking for anything. "No… not that… no…" Tony was coming up short. At best, he would have fingerprints, but he didn't have TJ's fingerprints. What he did have in his archives was a copy of TJ's DNA.

"Tony?" Pepper questioned, watching him in concern. "Maybe…"

FRIDAY's voice cut her off. "Got something, Boss!" The AI actually sounded excited.

Tony looked up, eyes bright with anticipation. "Where, FRI? Show it to me, girl!"

Pepper and Rhodes shared a look, neither one sure if this was actually happening. Could it be that easy to get Peter's DNA and have proof?

"In the recycling bin, Boss. Peter tossed a gatorade bottle in there earlier," FRIDAY told him.

"Bless this kid and his recycling habits," Tony praised, grabbing a pair of gloves on his way over to the recycling bin. When he looked inside, there was only one gatorade bottle to be found amidst the empty water and soda bottles. "Got it!" Tony called out, quickly moving to another area of the lab.

Pepper and Rhodes quickly joined him, watching as he worked furiously with the bottle in his hands. After a few minutes, Tony managed to swab the bottle and place the swab in a machine. "Alright FRIDAY… analyze the DNA. I need you to compare it to the sample of Tony, Jr's from the archives. Work quickly, girl! I need answers."

Tony, Rhodes, and Pepper waited quietly. Silence fell over the room as each one held their breath, eagerly waiting for the results. It was so quiet that they could practically hear the pounding of their own hearts.

"Come on, come on…" Tony said under his breath, growing impatient.

"Analysis complete," FRIDAY proclaimed victoriously, displaying a screen with her findings.

Tony smiled and blinked at the findings in front of him.

"I'll be damned," Rhodey said with a smile of his own.

Pepper choked back some tears. "It really is him," she cried.

There it was in front of them: **100% MATCH**

Peter Parker was none other than Anthony Edward Stark, Jr.

* * *

Peter concentrated as he and Ned worked on their project for Physics. Their project explored the detailed physics of how a changing magnetic field can induce an electric current as described by Faraday's law and Lenz's law. It was extremely advanced, but that wasn't a problem for Peter and Ned.

"I'm kinda glad things didn't work out at the tower today," Ned confessed from where he sat on Peter's bed. "I feel a lot better now that we got more of this done. It's worth, like, half our grade!"

Peter was working while hanging down from the ceiling, something that wasn't uncommon when Ned was over. His friend was always fascinated by his ability to do homework while hanging upside down. Peter smiled at him, "You're right. It was probably best to get more of this done. How are we doing on the written portion?" Peter looked over at Ned, who had his laptop open and was typing furiously.

"It's pretty much finished," he told Peter. "Maybe we can get MJ to read it over for us… check our grammar."

Peter nodded, hopping down from the ceiling to look at the progress on the computer screen. "Yeah… she'll be dying to sneak a peek at our project anyway. I'm sure she won't mind."

Peter's head shot up from the screen, looking towards his bedroom door. He was picturing the door into the apartment, trying to figure out whose footsteps could be approaching. With his enhanced hearing, he could always tell when someone was moving through the hallway outside of the apartment. He glanced at the clock. It couldn't be May. She had only just left to pick up some dinner after burning what was supposed to be lasagna.

"What is it?" Ned asked him, mildly concerned when his friend was suddenly alert.

"Someone's here," he told him just as a knock was heard on the apartment door.

"That is so awesome," Ned commented, clearly amused at Peter's ability to know someone was there even before they knocked.

Peter opened his bedroom door. "Stay here," he whispered to Ned, holding out a hand to indicate that he didn't want Ned to follow him.

Peter eyed the door carefully as he quietly approached. They didn't typically get visitors at the apartment. Neither the landlord nor the super ever came by… even when their presence was requested. And the neighbors typically kept to themselves. "Hello?" Peter asked, getting into a stance that would allow him to attack an intruder.

"Kid… it's me! Open up," The voice called back through the door.

Peter's posture relaxed at the sound of the voice. Struggling to believe his own ears, he walked up to the peephole, squinting to look at the person on the other side of the door. Sure enough, his mentor was waiting on the other side. "Mr. Stark?" Peter said, surprise evident in his voice.

"TONY STARK IS HERE?!" Ned exclaimed. Peter turned to see his friend in his bedroom doorway, looking every bit like a fanboy who was about to lose his shit.

Peter quickly shook his head at Ned, motioning for him to settle down and stay quiet.

"Kid?" Mr. Stark questioned from the other side of the door. "You're not going to make me talk to you through the door all night, are you?"

Peter quickly unlocked the door, pulling it open only far enough for Peter to poke his head through. "Oh… hey, Mr. Stark. What brings you here?" His mentor was giving him a funny look… one that Peter hadn't really seen before.

Tony cleared his throat a little, looking a bit uncomfortable. "Uh… you know… I was just… in the neighborhood. I thought I'd stop by…"

Peter gave him a doubtful look. "You just happened to be riding around in Queens?"

"Not really," Tony answered honestly.

Peter noticed that Mr. Stark was staring at him. It was weird. Peter wasn't really sure what to say or do.

"Uh… is your aunt home? Can I… can I come in?" his mentor finally asked.

"Well… uh…" Peter looked away from Tony and back over his shoulder at Ned. "No… May isn't here, but…"

Peter was cut off as the door was ripped wide open to reveal an overly excited Ned. "Oh my GOD! It's Iron Man!"

"Ned!" Peter scolded. "Shhh! Shut up!" Peter quickly reached outside the door and pulled Tony inside with them. As soon as his mentor was out of the hallway, he closed the door and put the lock back in place.

"Tony Stark! You're in my best friend's apartment! I'm actually, like, one foot away from Iron Man! Can I take a picture with you?" Ned asked excitedly.

"Dude, stop! You're embarrassing me!" Peter told him, pushing his friend back away from Mr. Stark.

Tony just blinked at the teenagers, mildly amused by their antics.

"I'm Ned!" His friend called out to Tony. "I'm Peter's computer genius friend! Can I have an internship, too? Just ask Peter… I make a great Guy in the Chair! I can help the Avengers!"

As Ned spoke, Peter pushed him back into the bedroom. He grabbed for Ned's stuff, shoving it into his friend's hands. "You should go, Ned."

"Huh?" Ned looked at Peter in disappointment. "But Mr. Iron Stark Man just got here. I have so many questions!"

Peter shoved more of Ned's stuff into his hands and started guiding him towards the door. "Later," Peter told him.

Tony moved out of the way, noticing that Peter was steering his friend towards the exit.

Ned continued to talk as Peter pushed him towards the door. "Is your suit here?" he called to Tony. "Can I see it? Can I wear the helmet?"

"Bye, Ned," Peter said. He finally got Ned outside in the hallway. Ned blinked at Peter in confusion, "Wait… What about the project?"

"We pretty much finished, remember?" Peter insisted. "I'll print a copy of our paper to show MJ tomorrow, okay? I'll talk to you tomorrow."

Ned looked severely disappointed. "I have to wait until tomorrow?"

Peter rolled his eyes. "Alright… I'll call you later."

"Great!" Ned said happily.

"Later!" Peter told him again, slamming the door shut once more and turning to place his back against it. He scrubbed his hands over his face and sighed. That was more than a little embarrassing.

"I like him," Tony told him. "Seems like a good kid."

Peter raised his head to look at the older man, relieved that he wasn't offended by his friend's behavior. Peter sighed in relief, "Yeah… he's the best."

Tony frowned, "What is a... uh... Guy in the Chair?"

Peter let out a nervous laugh, rubbing a hand through his hair. "Oh… um… you know how heroes have a tech guy behind the scenes? Ned likes to think of himself as that guy." Peter shrugged, continuing his explanation as he stepped towards his room to make sure he hadn't forgotten to give Ned anything important. "He's the one friend I trust with the whole Spider-Man secret. We tell each other everything. He's the friend responsible for the whole MIT thing…"

Tony nodded, a look of alarm suddenly appearing on his face. "Right… yeah… you're Spider-Man… oh god…"

Peter paused, turning to look at Mr. Stark from inside his bedroom. The man looked… troubled? Uncertain? Stunned? Peter couldn't really put a word to the man's appearance. "Are you okay, Mr. Stark? What brings you here, anyway?" Peter asked.

Tony stepped forward, walking closer to him. He put his hands in his pockets and looked around a little. "Um… right… I... well… you see, kid…" Tony stepped into the room with Peter, looking extremely uncomfortable.

Peter frowned. He never knew Tony Stark to be at a loss for words.

"Ahem… I felt bad, you see? About earlier… yeah. I'm sorry I left you, kid," Tony confessed. A sorrowful look filled the man's face. "I should've been there."

Peter shrugged, surprised that Mr. Stark felt so bad about it. He walked over towards his desk. "It's fine, Mr. Stark! Really! It actually worked out because Ned and I needed to work on this project for our physics class!" Peter was rambling nervously now. "I think you'd actually like it, Mr. Stark. It's all about exploring Faraday's Law and Lenz's…" Peter froze as he turned to look back at the older man.

He watched as Mr. Stark picked up one of the pictures from his nightstand. One of _those_ _pictures_ of him from when he was a toddler. Peter gulped, choosing to keep silent. He had no idea what to say as Tony stared at the photo.

Tony turned to Peter, a desperate look in his eyes. "Kid…" Tony turned his body towards Peter, taking small, tentative steps in his direction. Tony was looking into Peter's eyes, like he was searching for something there. It was so intense that Peter looked away. "Why did you come to Stark Tower for an internship?"

Peter's head snapped back to look at Tony. It wasn't exactly the question he had been expecting. Peter had been asked this question twice before, but the look in Tony's eyes told Peter that he knew the answer. This time… Tony Stark knew the real answer.

Peter swallowed nervously, reaching behind his back to steady himself on his desk. "Something tells me that you know the answer, Mr. Stark. That's why you're really here, isn't it?"

Mr. Stark blew out a breath, stepping back and all but collapsing as he sat down on Peter's bed. He glanced at the picture in his hand before looking back at Peter in surprise. "You knew this whole time… and... " Tony shook his head, swallowing past a lump that was forming in his throat. Tears were forming in his eyes as he looked at Peter. "God, kid. Why didn't you say anything? All these months… you knew?"

Peter held onto the desk behind him even tighter. The look in Tony Stark's eyes made Peter feel almost sick with guilt. "Uh… no… I mean, maybe? I wasn't actually sure," Peter stuttered out. He took a couple breaths. "Um… J-just so I'm sure that we're talking about the same thing here, Mr. Stark. What… what exactly is it you th-think I know?"

Tony set the photo down, carefully getting to his feet once more. He stepped over to Peter, never taking his eyes off the boy as he approached. Gently, Tony took a hold of Peter's shoulders. He looked directly in Peter's eyes when he spoke the next words. "You're my son," Tony told him. It wasn't a question. His voice held nothing but certainty.

The emotion that filled the older man's eyes was enough to convince Peter of the truth. Peter felt his legs turning to jelly beneath him, and his mentor (wait… _his father_ ) quickly guided Peter into the chair by his desk before Peter could fall.

Tony chuckled a little. "Yeah… that was my reaction, too," he confessed.

Peter felt a little dizzy. There it was… out in the open. Peter focused on his breathing, taking deep and steadying breaths. "H-how… I mean… are you sure?" Peter asked, fearing that it could all somehow be false.

Tony smirked at him. "I checked, kid. You're a one hundred percent match to the DNA of my son. You're Anthony Edward Stark, Jr."

Peter blinked at the name, still stunned.

"I thought you were dead," Tony added, finally letting a tear slip down his cheek.

Peter fought tears of his own. He wanted this, right? This was a good thing. And yet… Peter still had _so many questions_. How had this all happened? Peter shook his head. "No… I… I'm here. I've always been here."

Tony lifted a hand, placing it gently on the side of Peter's face. "I'm so sorry, kid." Tony used the hand that wasn't on Peter to wipe away tears that were rolling down his own face. He then lifted that hand to clutch Peter's shoulder as he once again searched Peter's eyes. "Can you ever forgive me? I never… I never meant to abandon you… ever!" Tony swallowed, desperately holding back a sob. "I missed you so much, son."

 _Son_. The word sent chills through Peter's body. He hadn't realized just how much he wanted to hear that word from this man's mouth. Peter fought his emotions, needing to say these next words. He brought up a hand to place it on top of the hand that Tony had on his face. "It's not your fault. You… you didn't know." Peter reassured. After he got the words out, Peter couldn't stop himself. He broke down in sobs, leaning himself forward into his _father's_ warm embrace.

Tony eagerly enveloped the young man in a hug. He had wrapped an arm around Peter's shoulder from time to time, but this was different. This felt like he was reclaiming some missing part of his soul in that very moment. This kid was a part of him. His son was home. He was alive. He was safe. Tony looked up at the ceiling, thanking God, Jenny, and anyone else who could hear his thoughts that he was reunited with his son.

Peter wasn't sure how long they held onto each other. Time was irrelevant. The only thing that mattered were the warm arms of his father that held onto him. He let himself get lost as he breathed in his father's scent… one of old spice, motor oil, and expensive laundry detergent. He listened to the sound of his father's beating heart. Nothing else mattered but this moment.

At least until…

"Hey boys!" May called as the door to the apartment swung open. "Ned! Peter! Are you boys ready for some pizza?"

Peter quickly sat up and wiped away his tears. He watched as his father sat back on his heels and glared out towards where May's voice was coming from.

"Wait," Peter whispered desperately to him.

Tony turned back to look at Peter and whispered, "Does she know? Has she known who you are all this time?"

"Boys?" May called again.

"Uh… Just a second, May. Be right there," He called back to her. He looked back at Tony, clutching the man's arms before he could storm out of his bedroom. "She had the same suspicions as me, Mr. Stark. But it was only after I showed her some pictures and compared them to an article about your son… or um… well, I guess about my disappearance."

Tony looked doubtful.

"Please, Mr. Stark. You have to believe me," he whispered. "She didn't know. I'll explain everything."

Tony nodded. "Alright… but do you think you can finally stop calling me..."

He was cut off as a beautiful woman with long dark hair entered the room. Tony blinked at her. He expected to see someone who looked older, more of a grandmotherly type.

May jumped in surprise, clearly not expecting to find Tony Stark with her nephew. May clutched Peter's door frame for support as she stepped back and gasped. "You're… you're not Ned," She said in shock.

Peter glanced at Tony as the man just shook his head. "Nope," he answered simply.

"Oh… Hey, May," Peter let out a nervous laugh, completely at a loss on how to explain this.

He didn't have to… May studied the two men before her. A conflicted look crossed her face as she asked, "So… it's true?"

Peter realized she must have seen the evidence of their emotional reunion. It was pretty obvious as he could still feel the evidence of tears on his cheeks. And Tony was also still trying to remove the evidence of tears with the back of his hand. Peter smiled at her and nodded. "Aunt May…" he looked over at Tony. "I'd like you to meet Tony Stark… my father."

* * *

Peter and May were moved into the tower before the end of that very week. Tony couldn't bear to have his son away from him for one more day. He needed Peter closer to him.

Once Peter, May, and Tony had a chance to talk more, it was clear that May Parker was completely innocent. Peter and May explained how they developed their suspicions to Tony, and he told them how B.A.R.F. revealed the truth to him. May had been a little confused as to how vomit helped things, so Peter had been quick to explain the technology to his aunt and lessen her confusion.

It was also agreed during that discussion that Peter would drop the 'Mr. Stark' moniker and refer to him as 'Tony.' He knew it was really too soon for either one of them for Peter to use 'dad.' Peter also requested that he keep his name of Peter Benjamin Parker, explaining to Tony that it was the identity he grew up with. The kid felt like it would be far too confusing to start going by another name. Tony reluctantly agreed; while he felt a little bit like he was betraying Jenny in the process, he understood Peter's request. If he were honest, it would've been really confusing for him, too. He'd known the kid as Peter for months. Although, he'd be damned if anyone stopped him from referring to the kid as 'junior' from time to time. He also had hopes of one day convincing Pete to use the Stark surname, but he recognized that would be a conversation for another time.

Tony covered any and all expenses for their move to the tower, telling May it was the least he could do to repay her for raising his son to be such a respectable young man. Probably the worst thing to come out of their conversation with May was when Tony let it slip that Peter was also Spider-Man. May let out some colorful expletives with that bombshell, but she eventually settled enough for Peter to explain things to her. Tony was ultimately glad that Peter was forced to share that secret with May. He felt like it would be better if there were no secrets between himself, his son, and the woman who raised him.

Peter and May were in the middle of settling in above the living quarters for the Avengers. He gave them an entire floor of Stark Tower. It had only been sitting vacant anyway, so it was really no trouble for Tony to make the space ready for them. He moved them in with specific instructions to buy anything that they wanted to make the space feel like home. All they had to do was let FRIDAY know. May was reluctant to take him up on the offer at first, but she gave in upon seeing how excited Peter was to customize his new bedroom suite.

Ultimately, Tony would've preferred to have Peter in the penthouse with himself and Pepper; however, it was clear that Peter wasn't ready to leave his aunt. So their own floor in the tower was the best compromise.

Tony wanted to spend every minute with his son. He found himself staring at the boy in amazement most of the time. It was as if he thought Peter might disappear again if he looked away. Unfortunately, Tony made a commitment to present B.A.R.F. to the students and faculty at MIT, and he certainly couldn't trust Beck with that presentation. The man was sure to take all the credit. Plus, the purpose was to fund all the student projects, something he was eager to gift to the young minds himself.

While Pepper was originally going to accompany him, she offered to stay back and help Peter and May finish getting settled. There had been a little hiccup with the teleprompter during his speech, but it was nothing Tony couldn't handle. His presentation of B.A.R.F ultimately went well, and he was eager to wrap up and head back to the tower.

He didn't count on running into a grieving mother who made him feel guilty about the loss of her son in Sokovia. That one hit home for Tony. There he was celebrating the fact that his son was alive, only to learn that he was to blame for the death of someone else's son. As if he didn't feel bad enough about the events in Sokovia… this really increased his self-loathing.

So when Tony stepped out of the elevator to find an annoyed Quentin Beck, he had no patience left for the man.

"Stark!" Beck bellowed. "I can't believe you actually presented _my technology_ using that horrible name!"

"Back off, Quentin," Tony told him, not interested in getting into a fight about this. He just wanted to get into the jet and return to Peter's side.

Unfortunately, the other man didn't take the hint. He rushed after Tony and jumped into his path, forcing Tony to halt his progress. "No way, Stark. It's time we sort this out once and for all," Beck demanded, raising his hand and poking Tony in the chest with his pointer finger.

That was the wrong move. Tony clenched his jaw shut, glaring daggers at the man in front of him. He took a breath, "I'm going to give you one more chance to walk away, Quentin. I am NOT in the mood right now."

"You're not in the mood? How do you think I feel watching you shit all over my work in there?" Beck argued. "I demand more respect from you, Stark!"

Well, Tony tried to warn him. "You know what you're going to get from me, Beck?"

"What?" The man spat out, waiting for a response.

"How about fired? You can have that from me," Tony said, quickly stepping around the stunned man.

"What the hell did you just say to me?" Beck challenged, trotting after Tony in an attempt to catch up and finish their conversation. If it could even be called a conversation.

Tony stopped suddenly, turning back to Beck so fast that the man nearly collided with him. This time Tony raised a hand to poke Beck in the chest. "YOU'RE FIRED! F.I.R.E.D," Tony spelled, poking his finger into Beck's chest with each letter. "I want you out of my company by this time tomorrow, after my project is returned to the tower!"

"You arrogant son of a bitch," Beck argued. "You can't _fire me_ , I put that tech together for you. If you fire me, I'm going to take that design to someone else! I'll sell it to the highest bidder and we'll run your company into the ground!"

"Just try it," Tony challenged. "I'll hit you with a lawsuit so fast, you won't know up from down!" Tony turned on his heel, again trying to leave.

"Don't turn your back on me, Tony!" Beck called. "You don't want me as an enemy! Not with the things that I know!"

This made Tony stop. He looked over his shoulder and scoffed, "What _you_ know? You don't know shit, Beck. The best thing about having you as an employee was that you understood how to read and build my designs. You have nothing original to offer. Zip. Zero. Zilch!"

Beck seethed as he watched Tony once again step away. He clenched his fists down at his sides. "You're going to regret this, Stark! You have _NO IDEA_ of the ways I can make your life hell! No idea!"

Tony didn't answer with words. Instead he just held his hand out to the side and gave Beck the middle finger. Flipping the bird should give Beck the message. Tony wasn't threatened by the man. He was nothing… no one. He didn't stand a chance against Tony. He was Iron Man for goodness sake. What the hell did Beck think he could do to him?

When Tony finally walked up the steps into his jet, he sighed in relief. The worst had to be past him at this point. It was sure to get better from here.

He was wrong.

"Tony…" Happy said, coming towards him on the jet. "Rhodes called. He wants you to turn on the news. There's been a situation in Lagos."

Tony growled, squeezing his eyes shut as a headache threatened to overtake him. "How bad?"

"It's really bad, Tony," Happy confessed. "People died, and Ross is officially calling for the Avengers to be put on a leash."

Tony slammed his head back against the headrest in frustration. Well shit… there goes his chance to go home and simply relax with his kid.

He shouldn't be surprised. Things for Tony were never that simple. Never.

* * *

Beck was furious after watching Tony step away from him. The anger inside of him was like a raging inferno. He would destroy Tony Stark and make him regret the day he messed with Quentin Beck.

He pulled out his cellphone, texting William. _(Use[link](https://pin.it/M5v4qcw) if image below does not appear)._

He didn't have to wait long for a response. _(Use[link](https://pin.it/3HB7Kqz) if image below does not appear)_

Beck frowned a little in confusion, uncertain if he should trust anyone else. He inquired about the contact. William got back to him but refused to disclose too much over text message. _(Use[link](https://pin.it/30nEM8l) if image below does not appear)_

Beck smiled. He knew he could count on William. The man had been loyal to Obadiah Stane (the OS William was referring to in his text). If someone else was talking to William about Stane, they likely hated Stark as much as Beck did.

Maybe getting fired wasn't the worst thing. Now, he would be able to hit Stark where it hurt him the most.

And by the time Tony Stark realized what was happening, it would be far too late.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew... that was exhausting. I did say this would be a roller coaster. Hold onto your seats, people. The ride is about to get a little bumpy.


	11. The Accords

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UPDATE: I went back through my chapters and tried to add links for anyone who has had trouble viewing images. If the links don't work. Please let me know. I want you all to be able to enjoy the story. :)
> 
> Hello, my friends. Here is the next chapter. There is what I hope will be a nice mix of bonding and plot advancement. I want to keep the story moving forward as much as I can while still giving us those Irondad and Spiderson moments we crave.
> 
> Enjoy!

_* Back at the Tower - Before Rhodes Calls Happy *_

Rhodes was drumming his fingers nervously as the elevator approached the floor that now acted as the residence of Peter Parker and his aunt. While Tony was keeping him in the loop, Rhodes was stuck still going back and forth to Washington in an attempt to keep track of Ross. He hadn't even had a chance to meet the kid in person yet, until today.

The doors opened, letting Rhodes step into what was now the kitchen and living room of the Parkers. Pepper came around the corner, talking to a woman that Rhodes had never seen before. Pepper smiled when she saw him, "Rhodey! I thought you'd never get back here." Pepper walked over to the man, planting a friendly kiss on his cheek in greeting. It wasn't a romantic gesture, it was simply a way that Pepper chose to greet those she saw as family.

He smiled back at her, wrapping an arm around her back to give her a quick hug and return the friendly greeting. "Hey, Pep." He looked at the other woman, walking over and extending his hand. "You must be May Parker. James Rhodes, mam. It's a pleasure to meet you." His greeting was polite, displaying the formality of his military training.

May blushed, reaching out her hand to shake the one extended to her. "I am… yes. I'm Peter's aunt. It's a true honor to meet you Colonel Rhodes." May was well aware of the reputation of the man standing in front of her. Belatedly, she felt a little foolish introducing herself as Peter's aunt to him. Did she even have any right to consider herself his aunt anymore? If Rhodes thought anything about it, he didn't say so. Instead, he just smiled, looking pleased that May recognized him at all.

"No, mam. The honor is all mine. I understand you've taken good care of my godson all these years." He lifted a hand to her shoulder. "You have no idea how much it means to us to know that he wasn't…" He stopped himself from finishing the thought. There was no need to think about TJ's murder anymore. He wasn't killed at all. He was alive and grew up loved.

"I understand," May told him. "It's all a little surreal. Tony's been so gracious with all of this. I'm not really sure I deserve it. I can't imagine how strange this must be for all of you."

Pepper chimed into the conversation. "It's a little bittersweet, but honestly… it's been more sweet than bitter. We would've loved to know that he was alive sooner, but it could've been so much worse. He's the great kid that he is today because you loved and took care of him all these years."

May smiled shyly at her, "I guess… I couldn't have done it without my husband. It was a team effort."

"I was sorry to hear about your loss, Mrs. Parker," Rhodes offered sincerely.

"Oh, Thank you," May said, looking back over her shoulder in the direction Rhodes assumed Peter was. "It was challenging for us both, but…" she shrugged.

"Well… Your family is bigger now," Pepper told her sweetly.

Rhodes chuckled, "Sure is… I'm going to go ahead and apologize for the craziness that comes with being part of the Avenger family."

"Oh, right… I keep forgetting about that part," May confessed.

Rhodes looked up when he noticed Peter stepping into the room to join them. "Holy shit…" he muttered under his breath, sending an apologetic look to May for his lack of decorum.

She waved him off, clearly not concerned about his language.

"Hey!" Peter greeted, approaching nervously. He clearly recognized him, not as his godfather but as War Machine. "Hi, I'm… uh… I'm Peter." Peter extended his hand to Rhodes.

Rhodey looked at the hand for a moment before gently pushing the hand away and stepping forward to wrap the boy in a hug that he clearly hadn't been expecting. Rhodes gripped the boy tightly, "Damn, kid. I'm so happy to see you again!"

Peter returned the hug, unsure of what else to do. He heard May and Pepper chuckle a little at his clear discomfort. "Um… thank you?" Peter's voice held a question to it. He didn't really recall having a relationship with James Rhodes. Tony made him aware that the man was his godfather, but he really had no recollection of their time together.

Looking mildly embarrassed, Rhodes released Peter and stepped back, likely realizing that Peter was uncomfortable. "Sorry, kid… I guess I got a little excited there," he confessed. He eyed Peter up and down with a smile. "Wow… look at you!"

Peter just stood there quietly, allowing the man to study him for a few moments.

Rhodes slapped a friendly hand on Peter's shoulder, "I can't believe we didn't see this sooner! Wow… I see both Tony and Jenny in you, kid. It's amazing!"

Peter rubbed a hand through his hair, feeling a little awkward. He knew all this was true, but it was still strange to hear it. He let out a nervous laugh, "Yeah… it's been a bit of a whirlwind really. I feel like I'm still trying to catch up to the reality of this whole thing."

Rhodes nodded in understanding. "You're not going to be alone on that one, kiddo. No worries… we'll all adjust together." Rhodes' face grew curious as he studied Peter more closely. "Is it true that you're the Spider-Man?"

Peter's jaw dropped in shock, "Wait, what? How… who told you that?"

Pepper lowered her head, raising up her hand in guilt. "That's my fault, Peter. Sorry! It just kinda slipped out."

Peter rubbed a hand over his face. "At this rate, I might as well announce it to a room of reporters just like Tony announced that he was Iron Man."

Rhodes laughed, "That would be hilarious. Then you'd really be a chip of the old block, huh?

Pepper shook her head at him, "Too soon, Rhodey. Take it a little slower with the kid, yeah? Like he said, he's still trying to let it all sink in."

"My bad," Rhodes apologized. He clenched his hands into fists and pumped them into the air excitedly. "Gah… I'm sorry… I'm just so excited! We were due for some good news around here, and this… this is the best news ever!"

Everyone laughed at the man's excitement, nodding their heads in agreement.

May wrapped an arm around Peter. "Yeah… we needed some good news, too. Right, Peter?"

He leaned into her, nodding his head in agreement.

Pepper was smiling at them when her phone buzzed. As the CEO of Stark Industries, she often got News Alerts on her phone. Her smile dropped and she looked at Rhodes, showing her phone screen to him.

"Damn it… I spoke too soon," he frowned. "Hey FRI…" he said, stepping into the newly decorated living room. "Can you pull up the news? What's happening with the team in Nigeria?"

May and Peter frowned at one another, turning to follow Rhodes over to the television. Pepper also following along with them to take a closer look.

"I found several news stations reporting an explosion in Lagos," FRIDAY responded.

"Just pick a station, FRI," Pepper called out.

May looked up at the ceiling. It was going to take her some time to get used to having an AI.

The television came on and displayed a grim scene in Lagos, Nigeria.

 _"Sad news out of Lagos, Nigeria today. We are still trying to gather all the details, but reports indicate that this is an Avenger mission gone wrong. Bystanders report that an enhanced individual, Wanda Maximoff, seemed to lose control during the fight. My sources tell me that Maximoff is one of the newer members of the Avengers team. With the events of Sokovia still fresh on our minds, it begs the question: Who holds the Avengers accountable when incident lives are lost?"_ The female news anchor reported.

"Damn it, Rogers," Rhodes said, shaking his head. "How the hell did you let this happen?" He spoke as if Rogers was in the room, but of course he would have to wait to get an answer from the man in person.

"Ross is gonna have a field day with this one," Pepper said in concern.

"Excuse me," Rhodes said to Peter and May, turning away to make a call. He lifted his phone to his ear, dialing Happy Hogan. "Hey, Hap," he greeted when the man picked up. "Listen… we have a situation. When you see Tony, you need to tell him to turn on the news."

Peter looked at May, "So much for good news."

* * *

When Tony arrived back at the tower, he was nursing one hell of a headache. Happy was following along behind him, eyeing him in concern. "You alright, Tony? You don't look so good," Happy observed.

"Just an electromagnetic headache, Hap. That's all that's going on… Just pain," Tony explained, sounding exhausted. "I'll take something later… right now, I just want to see my kid."

Happy nodded, still looking at his friend and boss in concern.

Before long, Tony and Happy were stepping off the elevator and onto Peter and May's floor of the Tower.

"Tony!" Peter greeted, leaping over the back of the couch to see him. "Are you okay? How'd it go at MIT? Can you believe what's happening on the news right now?"

Tony couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face at the sight of his son running to greet him. As Peter stepped over to him, he quickly wrapped the boy in a hug. Peter's presence eased a great deal of the tension that had built up inside him over the past few hours. This was exactly what he needed. He chuckled a little as he reluctantly released Peter from his hold, "One question at a time, yeah?"

"He's got a headache," Happy said, earning a look from Tony that clearly accused Happy of tattling.

"Oh," Peter said, looking at his father in concern. "Sorry…"

"Nonsense, Pete," Tony said, shaking his head. "You've got nothing to apologize for. You're actually just the cure I needed."

Peter smiled in response, equally pleased to be back in his father's company.

"To answer your questions… the presentation at MIT was a success." He smiled at Peter and shrugged. "Of course, Beck was a jackass again, so… I decided it was time to fire him. We won't need to worry about him anymore."

"You fired Quentin Beck?" Pepper asked, joining them. She had still been watching the news with May, but decided to come over and catch up with the boys.

Rhodes, who was on the phone in the corner, also looked over curiously. It wasn't often that Tony fired anyone, especially without Pepper's consent.

Tony gave another shrug, "He had to go, Pep. Believe me, he crossed the line today."

Pepper nodded, "It's fine. Although, I would've loved to see the look on his face when you told him."

"Ha… yeah, that was pretty good," Tony confessed, recalling the look of shock and anger on the man's face.

"Can't say that I'll miss him," Peter added. "I didn't like the way he talked about you behind your back."

Tony frowned, "I can only imagine." Tony sighed, looking over at the news that May Parker was still watching. "I was hoping that would be the end to my day's excitement…"

Peter followed Tony's line of sight back to the news. "Yeah… that looks like it's gonna be a problem."

"I'm afraid that's putting it mildly," Pepper added, also looking towards the television.

Rhodes hung up the phone and walked back to join them. "That was Romanoff. The others are on their way back. Ross wants a meeting, and Natasha thinks we should all talk afterwards."

Peter looked at Tony. "I know you're going to be busy, but is it okay if I hang out with you until the others get back?"

"You better," Tony said, wrapping an arm around Peter's shoulder and making the teenager smile.

"You boys enjoy some time together," May said, finally standing up from the couch. "I think I'm going to try to make Ben's lasagna recipe again. How does that sound, Peter? Would you like some lasagna for dinner? I need to break in our new kitchen."

"Oh…" Peter said, looking worried at the idea of leaving May alone in the kitchen. "Uh… do you have a fire extinguisher nearby? It'd be a shame to set the new kitchen on fire so soon."

Tony couldn't hold back the laugh that escaped. Peter didn't seem like he was trying to be funny. The kid actually seemed quite serious about the possibility of his aunt setting the new kitchen on fire. But that's why Tony found it so funny.

May put her hands on her hips. "Hey! I _can_ cook without setting a fire, you know! Especially without distractions, so go on… I'll show you! Shoo!" May motioned for them to leave, effectively giving them all permission to excuse themselves.

Tony and Peter quickly piled into the elevator with Rhodes and Pepper. "Take us upstairs, will ya FRIDAY?" Tony asked his AI, wanting to go up to the penthouse.

Tony glanced at Peter. "Did you know that the Lego company now has a set for Stark Tower? I got it for us. What do you say you and I get started on that before I have to leave to reprimand Capsicle and his cronies?"

"What? No way! That's awesome!" Peter said in excitement.

Rhodes shook his head, "Sure… yeah… no problem. You two go ahead and play. Pepper and I can take care of the phone calls and statements for the press." The words were spoken in a way that made it very clear he was jealous and a little bitter that he couldn't take a break.

"Isn't that how this typically works?" Pepper teased.

"Oh, whatever… Stop complaining! You two had more time than I did with the kid today!" Tony told them. He looked down at Peter and winked. "It's my turn."

Peter smiled back at him, earning another comment from Rhodes.

"Okay… see… that right there! The cuteness! That needs to stop… I can't stay mad when you pull out those puppy dog eyes!"

Tony looked at Rhodes as the elevator opened. "Who? Me or the kid?"

Rhodes stepped out behind Pepper, looking back and glaring at Tony. "Obviously, I mean the kid! You, Tony, aren't that cute!"

Peter laughed as he and Tony followed them out, entertained by the banter between the adults.

"That's not true…" Tony argued innocently. "... Pepper thinks I'm adorable. Don't ya, Pep?"

"Not all the time," She teased him, opening the door into their home.

Tony looked down at Peter and shrugged. "She does most of the time," he told him.

"I'll take your word for it," Peter joked, stepping inside the penthouse to enjoy whatever time he could have with Tony before his father got pulled into Avenger business.

* * *

Steve and the others were completely drained. They had no desire to face the others; they simply wanted to crawl in a hole and hide. Unfortunately, they had to answer for the situation in Lagos. The best they could offer was an explanation of what they were trying to stop. Perhaps it could've been worse. They did, technically, stop Rumlow from obtaining a biological weapon.

Steve looked over at Wanda as they made their way towards the elevator. The young Avenger was plagued with guilt. Vision, who met them as soon as they arrived, was doing his best to comfort her.

Natasha stepped ahead, calling for the elevator. "Well… We're going to have to face this sooner or later. We might as well get it over with."

"It will never really be over," Wanda sulked. "What I did cannot be undone."

Sam and Steve shared a look with one another, both uncertain of how to help her.

They turned their attention to the elevator and prepared to step inside once the doors opened.

They froze.

They were not prepared to find Tony inside when the doors opened… nor did they expect him to have an arm wrapped around the shoulders of a kid… nor did they expect the kid to be holding a replica of the tower built out of legos.

They all just stared back and forth at one another awkwardly for a few moments, still frozen.

"Uh… This is awkward," Sam said quietly, glancing over at Natasha.

"Hey… uh… Hi, everyone," Peter said, clutching his lego version of Stark Tower. He smiled, "I'm Peter." He shuffled a little, feeling really nervous.

Tony just looked from the kid to the Avengers, seeming to search for an explanation.

"Tony?" Steve asked, studying the two men in front of him. He turned his eyes to Peter. "You must be… Tony's intern?"

Tony started to answer, nodding his head as if to indicate that was correct, but Natasha cut him off and spoke before he could.

"No, Steve… I… uh… I'm pretty sure that's his son," Natasha said, looking as if she could see through them completely.

Tony jerked his head back in surprise, "What? How… uh… Why would you think that?"

Peter just stood there with wide eyes, seeming completely lost about how to handle this situation.

"Because he is… you found each other," Wanda commented, her eyes glowing with a faint hint of red.

"Hey! No, no…" Tony spat out, pointing an accusing finger at her. "Nuh uh… stay out of my kid's head!"

"So he is your kid?" Sam asked in surprise.

"It is quite obvious," Vision observed matter of factly. "Their facial features, combined with their mannerisms, seem to match by over 75%. I would assume the young man's features that differ from Stark's are likely that of his mother. Based on photographs that I have seen, I would identify Peter to be the offspring of Tony Stark of Jennifer DeVega."

Everyone's mouth dropped open at that.

"What?! You figured all that out in, like, 30 seconds!" Peter noted in shock. He looked over at Tony. "It took us months!"

Natasha cocked her head to the side, "So… it's true? You're Tony Jr.? I thought you said your name was Peter…"

Peter looked at Tony, shaking his head and quietly saying to him, "See? You should've let me meet them sooner. We could've sorted this out awhile ago."

"Yeah… we'll talk about it later," he muttered to his son. Tony cleared his throat, moving to step in front of Peter and hide him from the questioning stares of the Avengers. "Um… yes, well… it's a long story. Like Wanda said, we found each other…" The others just continued to look at him in shock. "... and he goes by Peter now, so… yeah."

"That's… that's great Tony," Steve said, clearly confused and unsure of what he was supposed to say. There was too much on his mind to really say anything else. He could ask questions later.

"So…" Sam started, giving Tony an annoyed glare. "While we were dealing with a crisis, you just decided to build legos with your kid?"

"That's my fault," Peter said, stepping out from behind his father in an attempt to defend him. "He was working all day, and I just wanted to do something with him before you guys got back and he was busy again."

To his credit, Sam actually looked a little guilty after hearing Peter's explanation.

"I'm glad you two could take a break," Natasha told him, giving Peter a small smile. "It's doubtful that any of us are going to be able to take one later."

Tony nodded, "Right… because you all had to go and stir up trouble! Which we will be talking about after I take my kid back to his living quarters." He fixed them with a stern glare. "Which is now on the floor above yours, so I expect you to be respectful of my kid and his aunt as they are living there!"

"His aunt?" Wanda asked. "You have a sister?"

"Oh… no, no," Peter spoke up. "There's no relation between May and Tony. It's, um, it's a long story. She raised me, and Tony was nice enough to let us both move into the tower together. You know… once we figured out our connection to each other," Peter explained as he lifted a hand to point back and forth between himself and Tony.

Tony cleared his throat, "Right… Uh… and If you'll excuse me, I need to take Pete back to his floor and make sure his Aunt May didn't set anything on fire." He took a step back and wrapped his arm around Peter once again. "FRIDAY… you know what to do," Tony spoke to his AI.

The returning Avengers just watched as the doors to the elevator closed, taking Peter and Tony to their destination. They all just stood there and stared at the closed doors, shocked by the unexpected turn of events.

"I have so many questions," Sam said, shaking his head in disbelief. The others simply nodded at his words. Indeed, there were so many questions. Unfortunately, they were far too busy to get answers any time soon.

* * *

Things did, in fact, get really busy with the return of the Avengers. The Sokovia Accords were being proposed as a way to put some boundaries on the Avengers and hold them accountable. Unfortunately, the Accords were slowly started to create a rift between members of the team.

Peter honestly didn't know what to do. When he was able to see Tony and catch him between meetings, it was obvious that he was stressed. Peter didn't even think Tony was sleeping. He wished there was a way that he could help, but there wasn't really anything that he could do.

Instead, Peter was forced to continue on with his usual routine. He had taken a couple days off from school to move into the tower, but May refused to let him miss any more school. The only person at school who was aware of the change was Ned. His best friend was beyond excited by the news. He desperately wanted to tell the other kids, but he promised Peter to keep the secret for the time being. Peter knew they would at least need to tell the school administration at some point. After all, the school needed to know his mailing address, and they were sure to ask questions once they were given the address for his new home in the tower.

Peter stretched as he woke up in his new room. He loved it. His new bedroom suite seemed bigger than his old apartment in Queens. He even had a private bathroom and entertainment space in his suite. It was a teenager's dream room. He could play video games or watch movies all in the privacy of his own bedroom. Of course, he was more likely to use the massive television in the living room so that he could have movie night with May and (if he was lucky) Tony.

Peter hopped out of bed, quickly pulling on some clothes and making sure everything he needed was in his backpack. He also made sure to tuck his Spider-Man suit into his bag. With any luck, he would be able to patrol after school.

Peter lifted his head suddenly, sniffing the air. Something was cooking in the kitchen… and it smelled really good. Peter frowned slightly in confusion. May never made breakfast. Her idea of breakfast was soaking Peter's cereal in milk.

He quickly pulled on a pair of shoes so that he could investigate. He had his backpack over his shoulder, wanting to take it with him so that he wouldn't accidentally leave without it. As the kitchen came into view, Peter was pleasantly surprised to find May and Tony making breakfast. Actually… Tony was cooking breakfast. May was simply putting out plates and silverware.

"What's this?" Peter asked, gently setting down his bag and practically skipping over to join the adults.

"There he is," Tony greeted, looking over his shoulder and smiling at him. "Morning, kid! Sleep well?"

"Uh… yeah," Peter answered, not failing to notice the dark circles under Tony's eyes. "Did you sleep at all?" he asked his father.

Tony waved a hand at Peter, using the other hand to maneuver the pan he had on the stove. "You worry too much, kid. There's no worrying this morning. Instead, I'm making my kid and his aunt some breakfast. I hope you like omelets, Pete."

Peter smiled, "It smells great!"

"I've been watching how he does it," May said. "It doesn't look too hard. I think I could do it."

Tony and Peter shared a doubtful look. She had once again managed to destroy her last attempt at lasagna.

"Uh… yeah, maybe," Peter told her, but his words were dripping with doubt.

"I could!" May insisted.

"Aunt May…" Peter told her. "You can't even make toast without burning it."

She frowned at him. "I thought you liked it that way?"

He shrugged, "It's usually the only way I can get it."

"Fine," May relented. "So my talents aren't in the kitchen."

Tony just chuckled at her. "Good thing I have a full kitchen staff available 24/7, then."

"Ha… ha…" May pretended to laugh at him.

Peter smiled and looked at Tony again. His father definitely looked exhausted. Peter was pretty sure he was only making this breakfast as a way to distract himself from other things that were happening. "Is everything ok, Tony? You know… with the Accords and all?"

Tony frowned, flipping the omelet he was working on. "We don't really have to talk about that right now, Pete."

Peter gave him a worried look. May noticed.

"He's worried about you, Tony," She told him. "That's what Peter does best. He worries about the people he loves."

Tony seemed to flinch a little at the use of the word 'love.' That was something they hadn't really confessed to each other out loud yet. Peter blushed a little, unsure of what to say. May wasn't wrong. He did worry a lot about his loved ones… and that most definitely included Tony.

Tony simply smiled, turning around to place the fresh omelet on a plate. May pushed it in front of Peter as Tony said, "Let me be the one to worry, kid. Alright? I want things to be as normal as possible for you. No sense getting you wrapped up in any drama with the team."

Peter dug a fork into his omelet. Before taking a bite he said, "So there is drama?"

Tony looked over at him, "Please drop it, kid." He nodded at Peter's fork. "Go on… take a bite. I want to know if you like Western style omelets as much as I do."

Peter gave in, testing out his father's cooking skills. Peter hummed in approval. "Mmm… oh my god, Tony. It tastes like heaven!" Peter quickly continued devouring the omelet, making his father laugh in delight. May was pretty amused as well.

"You better make him another one, Tony." May laughed. "One won't be enough."

Tony smiled, quickly moving to make another.

Peter eyed Tony curiously. "Who knew Iron Man had skills in the kitchen."

"Eh…" Tony shrugged, "Breakfast is my specialty. Just do me a favor, kid. Don't tell the others. I don't whip out my culinary skills for just anyone, you know."

Peter smiled. He looked thoughtful for a moment. There was something else that he wanted to ask, but he knew Tony didn't really want to talk about. "Um… I know you don't really want to talk about the Accords, but… um… it's a pretty big deal at school right now. I mean, it's all over the news, and all of the teachers are talking about it. Is it true that Ms. Romanoff went to Vienna to support the ratification of the Accords today?"

Tony stiffened a little but answered the question. "She did," he told Peter, not offering any further information.

"You didn't want to be there?" Peter asked him.

Tony turned around, placing another omelet on Peter's plate and offering him a smile as he answered. "I had better places to be… like right here, serving my kid breakfast."

"And it's very nice of you, Tony." May said, giving Peter a look. "Now… enough talk about the Accords, okay?"

Peter nodded, choosing to dig into the second omelet eagerly.

"So, Pete… what are your plans after school today? With any luck, I won't be wrapped up in a bunch of meetings. Maybe we can get some lab time in?" Tony offered hopefully.

"Oh…" Peter looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well… I was hoping to go on patrol for a bit after school."

May and Tony shared a worried look. "You were?" May asked.

"Yeah…" Peter said, "It's been a few days now. I'd really like to get back out there." He looked at Tony. "Maybe I could do both. What time do you think you might be free?"

"Do you think you could be back here around 4:00?" Tony asked.

"Probably," Peter said.

"Then, I'll be free by 4:00," Tony told him with a smile.

"Awesome," Peter told him, finishing the last bites of his omelet. He looked at the clock. "I should probably go. I'm meeting Ned. I told him I'd see him before the first period bell rang." Peter hopped up and quickly went for his backpack.

"Sure, kid," Tony said. "Happy's waiting for you downstairs. He's going to give you a ride."

"It's really nice of him to give Peter a ride every morning," May said.

Peter laughed, heading for the elevator. "I'm not so sure he does it for me, Aunt May."

She looked confused. "What do you mean? Who else would it be doing it for?"

Tony smirked at her. "I think my head of security is a little sweet on you."

She blushed, waving a hand at Tony. "What? No… I doubt that."

"We'll see," Peter said as he jumped into the elevator. "I'll see you later, May," he waved to her before turning to Tony. "Bye, Tony. I'll be back by 4:00!"

"You better be!" Tony called to him just as the doors closed.

Tony and May smiled at one another, shaking their heads a little at the young man who left.

"Thanks for doing all this, Tony," May told him. "I think Peter really liked it."

Tony laughed as he picked up Peter's plate. "I think he did. He didn't even leave a crumb."

May smiled. "It's not just the food. He likes when he gets time with you. I'm sure it isn't easy with everything you have going on right now."

Tony nodded. "It isn't… but…" he looked at her. "Honestly… I may have needed this time with him even more than he needed it with me."

"I'm sure you both needed it," May said kindly. "Tony… is there anything that I can do to help with all of this? I mean… you're doing so much for us right now. I'm happy to do anything I can to make things a little easier for you."

"I wish you could help, May," Tony told her as he continued to clean up a little. "Unless you want to act as a mediator for the Avengers, I'm not sure there's anything you can help me with right now."

"That bad, huh?" she asked.

"Oh yeah…" Tony leaned back against the counter. "I'm just about ready to punch Cap in his perfect teeth."

This earned a laugh from May. "Yikes," she commented.

Tony looked thoughtful for a moment. "You are helping me, though... more than you realize."

May cocked her head at him, "How so?"

"By taking such good care of Peter," Tony told her. "It helps me to know that he is safe. I'm really glad he isn't in the middle of all this."

She nodded. "Should I be worried about how these Accords could affect Peter? I mean… don't they apply to all enhanced individuals?"

Tony paled a little at her question. "Shit… I didn't really think about that. Uh… he should be alright. His Spider-Man activities are flying pretty low under the radar right now. He should be fine."

"So you don't think he'll have to sign?" She asked.

"Not right away. I'm not against signing myself, but I'd rather see how things play out before Spider-Man has to sign. With any luck, Ross won't be in charge by the time Peter has to worry about it," Tony told her.

"So… you do think he'll need to sign eventually?"

"Most likely," Tony admitted. "But don't worry, May. I won't let him sign anything until I know the Accords are solid."

She nodded, but looked worried nonetheless. "I really don't like the whole Spider-Man thing, but I guess I don't really have a choice. He has those abilities of his, and he's determined to help people with them. I know I should be proud of him for that, but…"

"Yeah… I know," Tony confessed without her really needing to explain her concerns. "I feel like it's partly my fault. The kid told me he wants to be like me."

"God help us," May joked, earning a laugh from Tony.

"Ain't that the truth," he agreed. He shrugged at her, "I guess we'll just take it one day at a time."

She nodded. "Exactly. Listen… I'm sure you have things to do. I'll finish cleaning this up. Thank you, Tony… for everything."

"I'm happy to do it. But you're right… I should get going," He smiled, moving towards the exit. "Oh… and May…" he called back to her.

"Yeah?" May asked.

"I put an extra fire extinguisher under the sink. You know… just in case," he teased.

She scowled at him, throwing a kitchen towel after him as he laughed and got into the elevator. "Don't you start with me, Tony! Go on! You better run!" She laughed at the man as he left. She didn't really mind the teasing. It reminded her of Peter. Yes… there was really no doubting her beloved nephew was the product of Tony Stark.

* * *

Peter was at school when it happened. Everyone was talking about it. A bomb went off in Vienna, killing the king of Wakanda. Peter knew instantly that he wouldn't be getting time with Tony after school. This was sure to impact their plans.

When Peter had a free moment, he texted him. _(If Image below does not appear, please see end notes or use this[link](https://pin.it/4OdbmL5))._

Peter sighed as he returned his phone to his pocket. He hated that he couldn't help his father with this. Surely there was a way for Spider-Man to help.

He sighed in frustration, tapping his foot impatiently as he waited for the bell to ring and signal the end of the school day.

When the bell finally rang, he said a quick farewell to Ned. He was excited to get into his suit and swing through the city. When no one was looking, he completely jumped over the fence outside of the school and sought out the first empty alley.

He quickly changed into his suit, webbing his bag to the side of a building where it was hidden from view by a dumpster. He then eagerly crawled and jumped to the rooftops so that he could swing and begin patrolling. He hoped swinging around would calm his nerves.

His patrol was pretty uneventful. He stopped a purse snatcher and helped a lost kid find her mom. As much as he wanted to focus on his patrol as Spider-Man, he couldn't stop thinking about Tony. He had this ache deep within his core when he thought about the whole situation with the Accords. He couldn't figure out why it upset him so much. He didn't think he should really have to worry about it. What could he possibly be worried about?

The realization hit Peter so suddenly, that he needed to stop swinging. He quickly jumped over to the side of a building and held on to catch his breath.

Someone died in a bombing today because of the Accords. Now his father was in the middle of it all.

He felt that ache inside of him because he was worried. Tony could get hurt… or worse.

Peter decided he needed to get back to the tower. He needed to know if there were any updates. He quickly went back to the alley to change back into his clothes.

If he weren't so distracted by his worry, he might have noticed that someone was watching him. His spider sense was tingling slightly ever since he left school, but he chalked that up to anxiety.

He shrugged off the feeling and quickly got himself back in civilian clothes, setting off quickly to return home.

He was determined to find anyway he could to help his father, even if that meant entering the fight alongside him.

* * *

William couldn't believe his luck. When Beck asked him to follow the Parker kid, he didn't expect to learn much more than they already knew.

He never expected to see the kid jump over a tall fence with ease. He certainly never expected to see the boy enter into an alley as a kid and jump out as Spider-Man.

He found the boy's backpack webbed up in the alley and decided to wait. If he played it right, he would catch the kid as he removed his mask. He wanted to get a picture for Beck, otherwise the man probably wouldn't believe him.

He only had to wait a little over an hour before the boy came back for his bag. William carefully leaned around the corner with his phone, waiting for the mask to be removed.

It turned out perfectly. Wiliam got the perfect shot of Peter Parker as he was taking off his Spider-Man mask. Not wanting to get caught, he quickly walked away from the alley.

Once he felt he was far enough away, he sent a text to Beck and attached the image of Peter Parker revealing himself to be Spider-Man. _(If image below does not appear, please see end notes or use this[link](https://pin.it/3xGarw8))._

William smiled. This would change everything. He didn't know exactly what Beck would do with the information, but he knew it wouldn't bode well for the kid. And it was bound to make Tony Stark's life a living hell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh damn! Can't Peter and Tony just catch a break?  
> Will Peter convince Tony to let Spider-Man help?  
> And just what will Beck do with the knowledge that Peter is Spider-Man? Will he share that secret with the mysterious contact that William introduced to him?  
> Plus... Will we ever find out how Peter ended up with the Parkers?  
> If you want the answers, you'll have to keep reading! Love you all 3,000!
> 
> Texts between Peter and Tony:  
> Peter: I heard the news about Vienna. U ok?  
> Tony: Been better. I'm gonna need to reschedule our lab time.  
> Tony: I need to step in and help before Cap makes things worse.  
> Peter: Is it true what they're saying on the news? Was it Bucky Barnes?  
> Tony: Looks that way.  
> Tony: Sorry, kid. Need to go. Talk more later.
> 
> Text from William to Beck:  
> William: Followed the Parker kid as requested.  
> William: Discovered something pretty big. You're gonna love it!  
> (Attached image of Peter removing his mask)


	12. The Airport Battle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will Peter be allowed to help his father in Berlin?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Firstly, I want to apologize for the delayed update. I've been struggling lately. The reality of this global pandemic has been like a punch to my gut in the last few weeks. Please know that I am not ignorant to the fact that everyone is impacted by this, and I know that many people are dealing with circumstances far more challenging than my own. However, I needed time to come to terms with how different things are going to be for me and my loved ones going forward. I needed to prioritize my family and friends before I could settle back into writing this story. With that being said, I still know exactly where I want this story to go. I plan to put what energy I have left into finishing this.
> 
> Secondly, I am writing this chapter under the assumption that everyone reading this has seen the airport battle in CA: Civil War. If you haven't, head on over to YouTube and watch that scene. I'm not planning to rewrite every detail of that battle. Instead, I am focusing more on the details that will be relevant to telling my story. There will be some small references to the scene, but I really don't want to try to rewrite something that most of you are likely already familiar with and have watched.
> 
> There will also be a reference to the scene where Wanda overpowers Vision. After re-watching Civil War, I believe that scene took place in the Avengers Compound. However, we will pretend that it occurred in the Tower for this story. Without further ado, please enjoy this next chapter.
> 
> Also... for the sake of publishing this chapter a little faster, I did not create images to mimic a phone screen for the text messages. For now, they are in bold print. I may come back and add the pictures later, though.

Peter was desperate for the updates to come from his father. It was turning out that things weren't exactly going well. From what he understood, Captain Rogers found his friend, Bucky, and somehow managed to turn himself into a criminal in the process. There was apparently some issue with Barnes getting caught, then going berserk, and escaping with Rogers once again.

Peter wasn't quite sure where things stood right now. He was trying to reach Tony, but he wasn't getting much of a response.

**Peter: What's happening?**

**Peter: Is everything ok?**

**Peter: Any updates?**

**Peter: I'm worried**

**Peter: Let me know u r safe**

**Tony: I'll be fine, kid. Please don't worry.**

Peter's worry only increased when he learned that Wanda Maximoff sent the Vision down through several floors of the tower and left with Clint Barton.

**Peter: Um… Something just happened. Vision said Wanda left with Hawkeye.**

**Peter: I was at school. Sorry. I should've stopped them.**

**Tony: Stay out of it, Pete. PLEASE!**

**Peter: When are you coming back?**

**Tony: I have 36 hours to bring Cap in.**

**Tony: I'll be back to gather my team, but then I have to go.**

**Tony: Sorry, kid**

Well, at least Tony would be coming back. Now all Peter had to do was convince his father to make him part of the team. There was no way Peter would sit this one out.

* * *

"Absolutely not!" Tony said, staring at the damage left by Wanda from when she overpowered Vision.

"Seriously?!" Peter argued. "Do you see this?" Peter motioned to the damage in the floor. "Or even your face. Tony… Have you looked at your face lately?!" Peter raised a hand towards the large black eye on Tony's face. "Please… you know I can help!"

Tony took a deep breath to steady himself, absentmindedly rubbing a hand over his bruised face. He wasn't trying to argue with his kid right now. He came back to collect Rhodes and Vision; he didn't have time for anything else. "Peter… this could get dangerous. I can't afford any distractions right now. You need to stay here."

Peter's face fell. "A _distraction_? Is that what you think I am?"

"Don't do that! This isn't about you, kid! I have _bigger_ problems right now!' Tony snapped. He wasn't in the mood to deal with a guilt trip from his kid at the moment.

"So now I'm a _problem_ to you? Is that it?" Peter asked, fighting angry tears that threatened to fall.

Tony's heart fell. This conversation wasn't working out. He wasn't thinking straight. He certainly wasn't trying to have a fight with Peter. "No… you are _never_ a problem. Kid… it's been a rough few days. Please, just listen to me and stay here." Tony turned, beginning to walk away. He didn't want to say anything else for fear of hurting his kid.

"So what?" Peter called out as the anger bubbled up inside of him. "You're just going to leave me? Again? I thought you claimed to be sorry for abandoning me, Tony?" It was a low blow, but Peter was willing to say anything. He needed to go along on this mission.

Tony froze in his tracks. "Excuse me?!" Tony said, turning back at him. "That's not fair! This is different. I want you to stay here because I want to keep you alive, Peter. Give me a break!"

"But…"

"I SAID NO!" Tony finally yelled. There it was. He raised his voice at his kid. He had never done that before… not when the kid was little and not now… well, not until this very moment. "Stay here!" he added with a little less force, quickly walking from the room in order to avoid seeing any more of the pained expression on his son's face.

"Tony?" Rhodes met him as he was leaving the room. "What's going on? You alright?"

"Oh, yeah… I'm great. I'm pretty sure my kid hates me now, but that's just the way my life is going at the moment. It's all going to shit!" Tony complained, continuing to where their jet was waiting.

"Don't be so dramatic, Tony. It's not a good look on you," Rhodes told him, earning an eye roll from his friend as he walked quickly to keep up.

They found Vision waiting by the jet. "Stark, I fear we are only heading towards catastrophe."

"I don't want to hear it, Vis," Tony told him, stepping up on the ramp to enter the jet. "You had one job. How the hell did this happen?" He asked, referring to the incident with Wanda.

Vision answered as he followed them up the ramp, "I was not expecting her to use her power against me."

"Yeah, well… now we know she will. You will be prepared for the next time, right?" Tony asked, sounding concerned. He needed all hands on deck, and he couldn't afford to have Vision taken out so easily by Wanda.

"I will be ready," he said simply.

"Great," Tony commented.

Natasha was already on the jet, waiting for them. "T'Challa is meeting us there," She told Tony.

"Just where are we going?" Rhodes asked.

"Germany... Berlin to be more precise," Tony answered.

"Buckle up, boys," Natasha said. "It's gonna be a long flight."

* * *

Peter rushed towards the jet in his suit before it could take off. "Karen… help me find a way to board that thing."

"Scanning now, Peter," Karen answered. "Your optimal point of entry will be to enter as the landing gear retracts. We can navigate further once inside."

"Perfect!" Peter exclaimed, using a web to swing himself onto the wheel just as it was lifting off the ground.

Sure enough, Karen was able to help Peter navigate the inner workings of the jet. He had finally lifted up a hatch into the main area when he was met with the barrel of a gun. Peter froze and lifted up his head, discovering that the weapon belonged to that of the Black Widow herself.

"I thought I heard something crawling under the floor," She lifted a brow at him. "I didn't expect to find a spider."

Peter cleared his throat nervously, "I… uh… sorry I'm late. I would've entered the other way, but you guys seemed to be leaving without me."

"Were we expecting you?" Natasha asked doubtfully, keeping her gun trained on the intruder.

"We most certainly were NOT," Tony's voice growled as he came into view. He placed a hand on Natasha's weapon. "Stand down, Romanoff. He's not a threat."

Peter quickly pulled himself up, letting the hatch slam shut beneath him. "Hey guys, I heard you could use a little help."

Natasha eyed him curiously, but said nothing else. Vision came to stand next to her, while Rhodes stayed quietly in his seat. If there was one thing Rhodes knew, it was to let his friend handle this one.

"What the hell are you doing here, Spider-Man?" Tony demanded, his face a mixture of panic and anger.

Peter crossed his arms in front of his chest stubbornly. "I believe I already answered that… I'm here to help."

"We don't _need_ your help!" Tony argued back.

"Actually, Stark. The odds would be more favorable with another…" Vision started.

"-Don't tell me the odds! I know the odds!" Tony spat back.

"Why don't you want Spider-Man to help us, Tony?" Natasha asked calmly, her eyes studying him carefully. She knew there was something more to this. She was determined to learn the reason for Tony's behavior.

Tony turned to her, trying to find an answer that wouldn't give him away as a father who was currently worried about his son. They didn't need to know that Peter was Spider-Man… not yet anyway. "Well… because!" Tony started, stuttering with his response. "H-he's… uh… he's inexperienced! He's a vigilante… an inexperienced vigilante!"

Natasha just gave him a look that made it very clear she wasn't convinced.

Rhodes shook his head at Tony. "Nice, Tones… very convincing," he said sarcastically, earning a glare from his friend.

Natasha looked back and forth between Tony, Rhodes, and Spider-Man. "Really?" she asked. "So… it has nothing to do with him being your son, Tony?"

"What? Uh… no!" Tony answered awkwardly, the surprised expression on his face giving him away completely.

"Son? Whose son?" Peter squealed out at about the same time as Tony.

Vision cocked his head slightly, "Based on our earlier encounter with Stark's son, I believe that Spider-Man's voice is an identical match."

Peter quickly lowered his voice an octave, "No it isn't."

Once again Rhodes shook his head. "Nice kid… very convincing," he repeated with the same sarcasm he used on Tony.

Natasha smirked. "Hello, Peter." She eyed his uniform up and down. "Nice suit… your father make that for you?"

Knowing he was caught, Peter reached up and pulled off his mask. He gave Natasha an annoyed look. "Actually, we made it together. I did, like, seventy percent of the work," he pouted.

Tony frowned. "Sixty percent… at most," He argued.

Natasha's smile only grew wider, seeming quite proud of herself for figuring it out so quickly.

"I thought I made myself quite clear, kid. I told you to stay at the tower!" Tony scolded.

"And I told you that I could help, so here I am!" Peter snapped.

"RIGHT WHERE I DIDN'T WANT YOU TO BE!" Tony yelled, raising his voice for the second time that day.

Peter took a step towards his father. "And why is that, Tony? Why can't I be here?"

"Because I want you to be where it is safe!" Tony insisted. "I ALREADY told you that!"

"AND WHO KEEPS _YOU_ SAFE, TONY?!" Peter burst out. He looked at Tony with wide, panicked eyes. He didn't mean to yell and lose his cool. Apparently, his brain and his mouth were on different pages.

Tony's eyes were equally wide and his mouth was hanging open in shock. "What?" He shook his head, hardly believing what he was hearing. "What are you talking about, Peter? I have an entire team… we look out for each other."

"Do you really?" Peter challenged. "Because last I heard that team was falling apart! You're chasing down members of your team who could seriously hurt you!"

Natasha stepped back, nudging Vision along to leave with her. This was a private conversation between father and son. Rhodes, on the other hand, couldn't slip away as easily, so he awkwardly listened from his seat.

"And they could seriously hurt you, too, Peter!" Tony insisted. "I'm the adult here! I'm the one who takes care of YOU! That's how this works!"

"And what if it doesn't work that way, huh?" Peter asked, growing emotional. "Because… I know better than _anyone_ that it DOESN'T always work that way!"

Tony softened. "Kid… what are you talking about?" he asked, looking a little hurt. "Look… I know I haven't always done right by you, but that's…"

"-No!" Peter interrupted. "That's not what I mean!" He studied Tony, looking equally hurt. "Don't you get it? I've lost two fathers already… TWO! Three if you count when I was taken away from you! But I _JUST_ got you back. Tony, please… I _CANNOT_ lose you again! I don't want _another_ father to die!"

That did it. Tony could feel his heart melt right then and there. He stepped forward, wrapping his son in his arms. He took a deep breath. "I do get it, kid. But this goes both ways! I _just_ got you back, too, you know." His words were softer now. He realized they were both trying to do the same thing… keep the other one safe.

"I know," Peter agreed. He stepped back so that he could look his father in the eyes. "But we should be doing this together. We make a good team!"

Tony sighed, looking towards Rhodes and quietly seeking his input. Rhodes shrugged, "The kid has skills, Tony. It scares the shit outta me, but… we really could use his help."

Tony shook his head in defeat. "I don't like it." He looked at Peter. "... but I guess I don't really have a choice, do I? You're already here."

Peter smirked, "That's true."

"Does May know you're here?" Tony asked.

Peter's face fell. "Uh…"

"I'll take that as a 'no' then." A mischievous look crossed Tony's face. "Well… we did put a parachute in that suit, so I could just throw you off the jet."

Peter's jaw dropped, "You wouldn't!" He cocked his head and studied his father with a mildly horrified expression. "Would you?"

Tony chuckled a little… because, really, this whole situation was ridiculous. "No. I wouldn't… I kinda feel like I should… but no, kid, you're not going anywhere."

Peter looked relieved. "Thanks." He smiled. "Really, Tony… I mean it. Thank you!"

Tony put a hand on Peter's shoulder. "It's fine. I'm not even going to punish you." Tony smirked, a gleam of humor in his eyes. "Facing May when we get back will have to be punishment enough."

Peter visibly paled. "Yeah… that's going to suck."

"Mmm Hmm, no doubt," Tony chuckled.

"You two are just so adorable," Rhodes teased as he observed them, making Tony and Peter laugh nervously and roll their eyes at the other man.

After a moment, Tony looked at Peter seriously. "Alright… if we're doing this, I have some ground rules. Got it?"

"Sure," Peter agreed, looking a little uncertain.

"No one other than the people in this jet can know who you are! We can't afford to reveal your identity right now. With the Accords, I don't want Ross bothering you. Make sense?" Tony asked.

"Easy," Peter agreed. "What else?"

"Oh yeah," Rhodes teased again. "You've been a real expert at concealing that identity of yours so far, kiddo."

Peter gave Rhodes an offended look, but waited quietly for his father to continue.

"Second… you keep your distance and web them up! And if you do somehow manage to encounter Cap, go for his legs!" Tony added.

Peter nodded. "Okay… anything else?"

Tony sighed, "When we get there, you wait for my signal. I don't want you to get involved until it's absolutely necessary." Tony shrugged, shaking his head. "And… please! For the love of god… be careful!"

Peter nodded excitedly, "You bet!" He jumped forward and embraced Tony in another hug. "I want you to be careful, too. Okay?"

"Peter…"

"-Promise me," the boy insisted, not breaking the hug.

"I promise," Tony relented, squeezing Peter tighter as they embraced. Tony frowned a little, suddenly noticing a backpack on his son's back. "Pete… did you… uh… did you bring school work on this trip?"

Peter took a step back and shrugged innocently. "I have a lot of homework… and it's a long flight."

Tony scrubbed a hand over his face, looking at Rhodey and shaking his head. "I'm gonna pretend you didn't just say that," Tony told him, stepping away to find Natasha and Vision.

"What?" Peter called to him as he walked away. When Tony didn't answer he turned to Rhodes who was chuckling softly nearby. "Seriously… what?"

"Oh kid," Rhodes laughed. "You really are something else, you know that?" Rhodes stood up to join Tony, Natasha, and Vision.

Peter scowled. "Whatever! I have to maintain my perfect GPA somehow!" he insisted, moving to find a quiet place to do a little of that work while the others likely talked strategy. His dad would fill him in on anything he missed later.

* * *

Peter should've known that his father's signal to enter the fight would include the dreaded ' _underoos_ ' nickname. He didn't really have time to dwell on how embarrassing that was. Instead, he was determined to show them all just how well he could kick ass. Kicking ass alongside his father? Yeah, that was definitely an added bonus.

Or at least it was a bonus up until he was thrown painfully to the ground. Peter groaned and shifted. He attempted to push his mask up, only to crumble back to the ground.

Footsteps approached, alerting Peter that his fight may not yet be over. "Kid… you alright?" a voice asked.

Peter immediately flung himself around, ready to fight. "Woah, woah… same side!"

His father's face finally came into view as his head stopped spinning. "Guess who? Hi... it's me," Tony told him.

"Oh. Hey…" Peter spoke out as he tried to push himself into a sitting position. Tony still needed him. He needed to get back up.

"Yeah… yeah… you're done!" Tony's voice told him. The command was clear and gave no room for argument.

"No… no… I'm good. I'm fine." Peter blinked his eyes, trying to make everything stop spinning.

"Stay down, alright? You did a good job. Stay down, okay?" Tony insisted, making a move to return and wrap up the fight that clearly hadn't finished quite yet. "Stay down. You're going home, or I'll call Aunt May! You're done!" Tony added, as he jogged away.

Peter sighed, mumbling out a few more poor attempts about being well enough to fight. His muscles, however, screamed out as he continued to move. "Ugh… yeah… I'm done," Peter relented quietly to himself as he settled his head back gently on the ground beneath him.

He could hear the sounds of the battle wrapping up around him. Guilt washed over him as he thought about his father continuing to fight without him. His dad needed him and he was just laying there like a pathetic child.

"Peter?" his father's voice asked gently.

Peter frowned in confusion. _"Is he done already?"_ he thought. He blinked his eyes open to find his father looking down at him. "Dad? Wh- what's happening?" If Peter weren't so out of sorts, he might have stopped himself from letting that moniker slip out under these circumstances. There was surely a better time and place to call Tony _"Dad"_ for the first time.

His father just smirked down at him, which Peter thought was a little odd. He thought for sure he would get more of a reaction after calling him that. "We gotta go," Tony told Peter, reaching down and pulling him up by the shoulder.

"What?" Peter asked, unable to stop himself from groaning as he stood to his feet. "I th-thought you told me to stay down?"

Tony wrapped an arm around Peter's waist once he was on his feet and started to steer him away from some commotion that was still happening behind them. "Changed my mind, son. We need to get you out of here," Tony told him.

Peter's spidey-sense was tingling, but he chalked it up to the commotion behind them being something that was putting Peter in danger. Why else would his dad be in such a hurry to get him out of there? Peter shook his head and tried to turn back towards the noise. "No… shouldn't you be finishing? Where…" Peter groaned and took a shaky breath to fight off a dizzy spell. "Where's Rhodey… What about Natasha and Vision?"

His father just continued to move him away from where the main battle took place. They rounded a corner and Peter was greeted with the sight of an unfamiliar plane. "They'll be fine, Peter. I'm taking you away from this before you get hurt more than you already are," Tony insisted.

They started making their way onto the plane. "What about Captain America and his friend?" Peter groaned out, still clearly confused.

"Just shut up already, Parker. It's fine," Tony's tone was clipped and sounded impatient.

Peter frowned as Tony dropped him into a seat. What had happened to make his father refer to him by his last name? Peter didn't even think that Tony saw him as a Parker anymore. He was quite certain his dad saw him as more of a Stark than a Parker. What the hell was going on? Peter watched as his dad grabbed a case and opened it up. He pulled out a syringe, making Peter's eyes go wide.

"Dad?" Peter questioned, intentionally using the name this time. He was desperate for an explanation and his father was starting to scare him. He hoped that the name would break through his father's presently rough exterior and get him the answer he was looking for.

"Shhh…" Tony said, stepping over to him with the needle. "This is just a little something to make you feel better. You took quite a spill, Pete."

Peter pushed himself back into the seat and away from the needle. His spidey-sense was positively screaming at him to move away, but this was his father. Surely, he just wanted to help. Peter forced himself to be still and squeezed his eyes shut as Tony pushed down the collar of the spider suit with his fingers and quickly injected the so-called medicine into his neck. Once finished, Peter let out a shaky breath. "Ugh… why does the medicine need to come from a needle?"

"It's the fastest way to get the sedative into your bloodstream, Parker," Tony answered.

Again with the Parker? Peter blinked as the name was used once more. Something else clicked in his brain as well. "Wait… sedative? Wh- what's h'pp'ning?" Dots were beginning to enter his vision and Peter started blinking more rapidly in a desperate attempt to clear them from his vision. Peter was met with laughter that was definitely not anything like his father's warm chuckle.

To Peter's horror, he watched as reality started to melt around him. Even with the drug taking over his awareness, Peter recognized the BARF technology and gasped in surprise. With a sudden burst of adrenaline, Peter tried to leap from the seat and exit the plane. He was met with Tony's arm forcefully pushing him back down.

Peter groaned as nausea and dizziness were threatening to overtake him. "Why? Wh-?" He couldn't understand. What game was his father playing here? Everything seemed wrong.

In a moment, Peter finally understood why. The image of his father morphed before his eyes, and he was met with the smug face of Quentin Beck. "Hey there Peter," the man smiled maliciously.

Peter groaned again, noticing as the plane's engines fired to life and they began to move. Peter rolled his head from side to side weakly in a desperate attempt to protest. "Nnngh," He tried to vocalize those protests but he didn't seem able to form words anymore and he was definitely struggling to maintain awareness as the drugs spread through his system thanks to his rapidly beating heart.

Beck leaned down in front of him, placing a hand on either side of Peter and making him feel trapped in his seat. He was dressed in some kind of gray spandex like actors wear in movies with special effects and had something on his head. With the small amount of awareness Peter had left, he realized it was all used to bring Beck's illusion to life. Peter couldn't believe he had been tricked so easily.

"My oh my what a surprise you turned out to be," Beck taunted as Peter's mind started to drift. "Stark's long lost son and Spider-Man?" Beck laughed cruelly.

Peter let out another groan. The last thing he heard was Beck's voice say, "We're going to completely destroy that so-called hero you call your father. Nothing will ever be the same after this."

Peter desperately wanted to ask more questions and get more information, but he couldn't hold on any longer. The dots spread out over his vision and Peter completely fell into the dark void of unconsciousness.

* * *

Tony couldn't believe how this had all completely gone to shit. Things never should've gotten this far. Now, he was dealing with the fact that his best friend was severely injured. And it all happened because Steve Rogers had to be such a stubborn jackass.

" _Tony_?" Natasha's voice came over the comms. " _What's the status?_ "

"What do you care, Romanoff?" Tony snapped back, knowing she was responsible for Steve and Barnes' escape.

" _Save it for later, Stark_ ," Natasha scolded. _"Rhodes condition is what matters right now."_

Tony sighed, "It's not good. We need to get him out of here. If you think you can come back to my side for a moment, I could use your help collecting Spider-Man. He was taking a little break after he took that last hit."

He heard Natasha grumble with frustration before she answered. " _I'm on the side of the team, Tony. I never wanted things to go this far._ "

"Yeah, well… that makes two of us," Tony grumbled back. "Just find the kid, will ya? We need to move out and get Rhodey to medical."

Tony moved over towards the gurney that held his friend's limp body. Before he could get to Rhodey's side, the comm crackled to life as Natasha addressed him once again. " _Tony… Spider-Man isn't here. Are you sure he didn't make his way over to you already?_ "

Tony immediately stopped in his tracks and froze, ice forming in his veins as a chill shot through his spine. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE ISN'T THERE?! He sure as hell isn't with me!" He yelled into the comms. "Check again!"

" _He's not here, Tony,_ " Natasha said, fighting to maintain her calm and collected persona.

"Shit!" Tony cursed. Did he have to do everything himself? Could he rely on any of these people to do things right? "FRIDAY, scan the area for Spider-Man. Where the hell did he go?" Tony fought to keep his panic at bay.

"Scanning," FRIDAY's voice confirmed. Time crawled by at a painfully slow pace as Tony waited for his AI to finish her scan of the area. "Scan complete, boss," FRIDAY told him.

"Where is he, girl?" Tony asked frantically.

"I was unable to locate Spider-Man's biometrics. He is no longer within the vicinity of the airport," FRIDAY told him, her voice somehow holding a tone of regret upon delivering the news.

Tony spun around frantically searching the area for the familiar red and blue suit, hoping that his AI was somehow mistaken. "No, no, no, no, no, no…" Tony muttered under his breath.

"Boss, your heart rate is escalating. You need to lower your heart rate and take deep breaths before you have a full blown panic attack," FRIDAY told him desperately.

" _Tony?_ " Natasha's voice questioned through the comms.

Tony fought to keep his composure, lowering his hands to his knees and forcing himself to control his breathing. "Romanoff… he's not here. FRIDAY can't find him," Tony told her anxiously.

" _I'm heading in your direction now, Tony. He can't be far,_ " Natasha said, attempting to soothe him and help him stay calm.

Tony shook his head back and forth. He never should've let Peter come along. This was his fault. His son was lost… again! "Oh god, Natasha. I lost him… he's gone."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quentin Beck is such a jerk. Get ready... the next chapter is going to put some puzzle pieces together and explain just how Beck fits into this whole mess.
> 
> Again... sorry this was delayed. I hope you can forgive me. Your comments are very encouraging to me.


	13. Siberia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> IronDad to the rescue... we hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was so much harder to write than I thought it would be. It took quite awhile to get the idea I had in my mind to come out right when written down. I think I finally have it to a place that I'm happy with. And it turned out to be a REALLY long chapter.
> 
> This chapter is inspired by the scene in Siberia after the battle at the airport in Civil War, but I made some changes to make this work. I'm also taking this in a direction where there will be more reconciliation between the Avengers. These characters are just too smart to hold silly grudges. They know they need to stick together and keep the world safe... at least that's what I think.
> 
> See notes at the end for more info.
> 
> Without further ado... please enjoy. (And sorry again for another delay)

Tony was completely lost in a fog. He was standing out on a balcony as Rhodes was undergoing tests, likely to forever lose the use of his legs. That, in and of itself, was awful. And yet… the all consuming fear that Tony felt had more to do with the fact that his son was missing.

The fear creeping through his bones was far too familiar to him. He recognized that agonizing chill of helplessness just like he did when his son disappeared at the age of two. Tony gripped the railing in front of him, fighting to keep his tears at bay and maintain as much composure as possible. Peter needed him to keep himself together. He didn't have any time to fall apart.

"Tony?" Natasha's voice dripped with concern as she stepped over to join him.

"Anything?" Tony questioned, a desperate hope present in his own voice.

Natasha sighed, placing a gentle hand on his back. "I'm sorry. Nothing new." She studied him for a moment. She didn't miss the way he hung his head, looking completely defeated. She could almost see the guilt eating the man alive. "How about you? FRIDAY access the cameras at the airport yet?"

Tony shook his head. "She's still working at it," he told her. He finally turned his head to look her in the eyes. "How the hell did I let this happen? Where could he have possibly gone?"

Natasha shrugged. "You said he was pretty disoriented. I thought maybe he just wandered off, but we should've found him by now if that had been the case."

"You think someone took him," Tony said. It wasn't a question, but rather a statement of the most likely scenario.

Natasha reluctantly nodded. "I thought maybe Ross was involved, but I haven't heard anything to that effect. The word is that he has Wilson, Lang, Barton, and Maximoff in custody. There's nothing about a fifth person being detained."

Tony shot her a look. "Not yet anyway." He turned toward her, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back on the railing. "Ross knows what you did. If you're not careful, you will be the fifth person in his custody."

She nodded. "So… you talked to Ross?"

"I did," Tony confirmed. "I had equal suspicions, but like you… I didn't get the impression that he was involved in my kid's sudden disappearing act."

Natasha cocked her head and studied Tony more carefully. "You didn't tell him where I was," she noted.

"I did not," Tony confirmed. "Listen, Romanoff… I don't exactly appreciate that you pulled that double agent shit, but I wasn't about to throw you over to Ross. I don't really approve of how he's treating everyone or handling things right now." Tony shook his head. "It's just all too much. Too much, too fast."

Natasha nodded. She was about to say something else, but a notification was suddenly coming from Tony's watch.

"What is it, FRI? Is it about Peter? Do we have camera access?" Tony asked excitedly.

"Almost, Boss. There is something else. It's a priority upload from Berlin Police," FRIDAY told him as Tony expanded the images his AI was providing.

Tony looked at the images and then back up at Natasha. Both moved from their spot to find a more private location. FRIDAY displayed the images and news that Dr. Broussard was found dead. The man who had appeared to question Barnes had been an imposter. FRIDAY revealed the imposter to be Colonel Helmut Zemo of Sokovian Intelligence. This led both Natasha and Tony to curse under their breath. Of course it had to be someone connected to the Sokovia incident. FRIDAY displayed some more information, and Tony quickly ordered his AI to get the information over to Ross.

"A lot of good that will do," Natasha said doubtfully once the files were sent.

Tony shrugged a shoulder, "You're probably right." He rubbed a hand over his face. "How in the hell does this all add up, Romanoff? What am I missing?"

The female assassin frowned and shook her head. "The Sokovian… Zemo must be behind all of this. I think he somehow managed to frame Barnes. He knew Steve would protect him at all costs… even to the detriment of his relationship with the team."

"Mmhmmm…" Tony hummed, shaking his head. "I agree, but it doesn't really explain how he actually pulled it off." He looked at Natasha. "Do you think he's behind Peter's disappearance?"

"Anything is possible at this point." Natasha bit her lip and seemed to concentrate on her thoughts for a moment. "I don't think he's doing this alone. He must have help."

FRIDAY's voice interrupted their thoughts. "I got into the database for the cameras at the airport, Boss."

"Finally!" Tony said, eagerly working to access the footage. "FRIDAY, I need you to find the footage of Peter after he fell. It was the last time I saw him."

"Searching now," his AI confirmed.

Natasha stood next to Tony, ready to study the footage with her own eyes and offer input as needed. Finally, FRIDAY displayed the moment where Tony approached a fallen Spider-Man. Natasha watched as a disoriented Peter interacted with his father. "Definitely seems like the kid was out of sorts… probably a concussion," she commented.

Tony simply nodded, but kept his focus on the video that was likely to solve the mystery of his kid's whereabouts. Tony frowned as he watched himself jog away. He never should've left Peter by himself. After a few minutes of Peter continuing to lay on the ground, Tony was just about to tell FRIDAY to fast forward and skip ahead. However, another figure entered the frame and made Tony's blood run cold. "What the hell? Nat… that's not me!" Tony said frantically.

"It sure as hell looks like you, Tony," Natasha said, watching as the lookalike scooped Peter up and began helping him leave their makeshift battlefield.

"IT'S NOT!" Tony insisted angrily.

"I get that…" Natasha commented, maintaining her stoic composure. FRIDAY switched angles and they watched as Tony's doppelganger led Peter onto a plane.

Tony shook his head. "God damn it. He thought it was me." Tony paled as a sudden thought struck him. There was only one piece of technology that could potentially create that kind of illusion. "No… it can't be."

"What is it?" Natasha asked. She raised an eyebrow at him in question. "You know what this is, don't you?"

Instead of answering her, Tony spoke to FRIDAY. "FRI, I need to see the fake version of me before he approaches Peter. Get me another angle." Before long, another view was displayed in front of Tony and Natasha.

Natasha squinted her eyes to focus on the unfamiliar man that was walking towards Spider-Man's prone figure. He was wearing a gray lycra outfit with something on his head and what looked like drones hovering nearby.

"Son of a bitch," Tony growled out. "Beck! I'm going to kill that asshole"

Natasha's eyes widened as the video seemed to shift and warp as the man's image shifted into the version of Tony they saw lift Spider-Man and guide him to the plane. "What is this, Tony? Who is Beck and how the hell can he change his appearance?"

Tony swallowed nervously. "It's holographic illusion tech. It was never meant to be used like this."

"This is your technology?! Damn it, Tony! When will you stop creating shit to make our jobs more difficult?" Natasha accused.

He scowled at her. "Lay off… I didn't design it to do this! It was meant to be something harmless. I fired this jerk as soon he wanted to turn it into something else. I would've put him in jail if I had known he had the resources to take it this far!"

She reluctantly backed down and took a steadying breath. "He must be working with Zemo," Natasha told him. Her eyes widened as she was hit with a sudden realization. "Hold on... could this Beck guy use this tech to make himself look like anyone? Make people see anything he wants them to see?"

Tony nodded guiltily. He realized the same thing as Natasha. "He must have used this to make it look like Barnes was behind that explosion in Vienna."

"Shit," Natasha cursed. "Tony… Barton slipped some information to me during our fight. Steve and Barnes suspected things weren't right. They were trying to get to Siberia."

Tony scowled at her. "And you're just telling me this now?"

"I didn't know if you'd go running to Ross with that intel," Natasha snapped.

"My son is in danger, Romanoff! You had no right to keep that from me!" Tony argued.

"We didn't have all the facts then! Now that we know how these pieces are coming together, we can ascertain that Rogers will likely find both Beck and Zemo in Siberia," Natasha explained.

Tony nodded curtly. "And most likely Peter," Tony said, moving out of the area they were in and into the hallway. "I'm going after them," he said to Natasha as he walked away.

"Hold on a minute, Tony," she called, grabbing his arm and stopping him in his tracks. She looked around to make sure no one could hear them. "Steve and Bucky will be there," She told him.

"And?" Tony questioned impatiently.

"What's your plan?" She asked him.

Tony rolled his eyes. "Barnes and Rogers won't be my targets if that's what you're worried about. I'm going to get my kid back… that's my primary objective right now." He pulled himself from her grasp and began walking again.

She stepped in front of him this time. "If Beck and Zemo are working together, this could be exactly what they want! Think about it, Tony… Zemo framed Bucky to get under Steve's skin. Beck is somehow trying to use Peter to get to you. This isn't over, Tony! These guys are up to something!"

"Yeah… I get that. But I'm not leaving my kid with those psychopaths. I'll find Steve and warn him. Zemo and Beck don't know that we have it figured out, so Cap and I can use that to our advantage. Now… let me pass!" He quickly nudged his way around her.

"I'm coming with you," she told him, stepping in to walk beside him.

"You can't," he told her. "I need you here. Lay low… keep an eye on Rhodes. Stay off of Ross' radar. See if you can find anyone else who might be connected or look for any more details about what Zemo and Beck are doing in Siberia. Plus… my suit only has room for one."

Natasha looked mildly frustrated at first, but then nodded her head in agreement. "You're right. You'll need eyes and ears back here in case new information comes in. If I find anything, I'll let you know."

"Perfect," Tony said, his tone not hiding his impatience. He needed to get out of there and get to his son.

"Be careful, Tony!" Natasha called out to him as he went to find himself a suit.

He didn't bother saying anything else to her. He quickly went into a nearby hangar and activated a suit that he had ready in one of his choppers. He wasted no time in taking off as fast as he could towards Siberia. He never even noticed that T'Challa quickly made chase to follow after him. He was too focused on using FRIDAY to find the flight path and destination of the planes used by Steve or Beck. He would find and get to his son in record time.

And god help anyone who got in his way.

* * *

The first time Peter returned to awareness, it was to the sound of gunshots being fired. They weren't in quick succession. Rather, they sounded slow and deliberate. He peeled his eyes open to see an unfamiliar man firing his weapon at people who seemed to be sleeping in large, yellow glass cylinders. Peter's muddled brain could not make sense of this at all, so he thought perhaps he was merely dreaming and allowed himself to drift back into the darkness.

The next time Peter became aware, it was due to someone slapping at his face. Peter groaned at the feeling and hoped the person responsible would go away and leave him alone.

"Perhaps we should not have given him the second dose," a heavily accented and unfamiliar voice said.

"Trust me… Spider-Man is stronger than he looks. It's better to be sure that he's properly subdued for IronDaddy's arrival," another voice replied. Peter recognized the second voice, and it was the sound of that voice that finally pulled him from the darkness and back to the surface.

Peter blinked his eyes at Beck, who was leaning down in front of him and continued to tap his cheek. "Hey… you back with us, Spider-Boy?" Beck teased, earning a groan from his captive. "I think you are. Hey there, Peter. Did ya' miss me?"

Peter tried to take a deep breath, which turned out to be a mistake. He felt horrible. Every breath seemed to invite a new wave of dizziness, and he felt like his insides were somehow dissolving. He looked down at himself to see that he was strapped into what looked like a dentist chair from hell. "Mmm… wh-? What is th- this?" Peter managed to mumble out.

"Do you like it?" The man with the heavy accent asked. "It was used by Hydra to strap down and wipe the memory of the Winter Soldiers."

Peter's eyes went wide as he weakly tested the restraints. His body didn't want to cooperate with him, however, so his attempts were rather pathetic.

"Don't bother with those, Pete," Beck told him. "If those straps could restrain super soldiers, then they can hold you down."

"Plus… those drugs in your system help us to be sure you aren't going anywhere," the other man added.

Peter swallowed nervously. This was bad… very bad. "What d- drugs? Ugh… feel sick," Peter told them, his words slurred and garbled.

"Hmm… well, I suppose you might feel poorly. This sedative wasn't really designed for you, I'm afraid," the unfamiliar man told him as he approached Peter and stood next to Beck.

Peter frowned. "What? Ungh… mmm… it hurts. I d- don't und'stand." Peter groaned as more discomfort flooded through him.

"It was for them. The soldiers," the man said, using his hand to point back over his shoulder to the people inside the cylinders. "But I am being a rude host… We haven't been properly introduced. My name is Helmut Zemo."

"He's my new partner," Beck added. "Zemo appreciates my work so much more than your daddy ever did."

Peter closed his eyes and breathed through his nausea. This was worse than he felt after the spider bite. "How'd you find out?" Peter groaned, wanting to know more about how things with Beck got to this point. How did Beck know that Tony was his father? Had Peter given away that secret somewhere along the way?

Beck laughed. "Find out about what? About you being Stark, Jr? Or about you being Spider-Man?"

"Ugh… both, I g- guess." He was melting… Peter was sure that he was melting.

"I have friends in low places, Pete. When daddy Stark fired me, I called an old friend with a connection to Tony's old mentor, Obadiah Stane. I knew there had to be a connection between you and Tony, and I suspected that you could be his kid. Turns out… I was right."

"So then his friend introduced us," Zemo added. "And that same mutual friend of ours followed you, and well… the only one responsible for giving away your secret identity is you, Peter."

Peter frowned in confusion, curious as to how that was possible.

Beck elaborated upon seeing Peter's confusion. "My man caught you getting in and out of this elaborate Halloween costume of yours. He even managed to snap a picture and send it to me."

Peter shook his head in frustrated disbelief. Rhodes was right. Peter really wasn't doing a good job with his secret identity lately.

"Oh… and he also put a tracker in the school bag that you so conveniently left behind. That's how I knew you went with Papa Stark to Berlin," Beck told him.

"And we knew you were the perfect person to help us bring this all to an end. We knew we wanted to get you involved, but this… well, it couldn't have turned out any better," Zemo added.

The pain in Peter's body was actually making him sweat and shake uncontrollably. "Fine I - I'm here… Make it st- stop. It hurts."

"Hmm… I am sorry to hear that, Peter. As I said, these drugs… they were not designed for you," Zemo told him, almost sounding like he regretted it. Almost. He probably didn't care at all.

Peter groaned angrily. "Th- then why give it to me?"

"Relax, kid," Beck chided. "It'll all be over once daddy and his soon-to-be former teammates get here."

Peter again looked at the chair he was strapped down to. "Y- you're gonna take my m- memories?"

Zemo and Beck looked at each other and laughed. "We have no need to remove your memories, Peter. We just need this to keep you still," Zemo told him.

"At least until it's all over," Beck added.

Realization washed over Peter like a cold wave. "You're going to kill me," Peter said. There was no question in his voice this time. He didn't really need to ask to know the truth.

"Not us… no," Zemo said. "But you will not live through this, I'm afraid."

"What could you… ugh… what is g- gained by killing me?" Peter groaned out, hating the strained sound of his own voice.

Zemo smiled, "You'll understand soon enough."

Peter once again squeezed his eyes shut. Nothing about this made sense. They had to be messing with his head. What real motive was there for killing Peter? It couldn't just be about Tony. He had so many more questions that he wanted to ask, but he didn't get the chance as he heard some commotion coming from another area of the building they were in.

Beck smiled at Zemo. "I do believe we have company."

"Finally," Zemo smiled back. "It's time to bring this empire down once and for all."

* * *

Steve was relieved when they finally located the bunker. It had taken Bucky a lot longer to help Steve find it than they originally thought. He just hoped that they made it before the other winter soldiers could be activated. From what Bucky told him, that would be a serious problem. Not for the first time, Steve wished they had been able to bring more of the team along with them.

"There's another vehicle and aircraft already here," Bucky noticed.

Steve sighed, "There may be more people involved than we originally thought.

"I can go in alone, Steve," Bucky told him. "This doesn't have to be your fight."

"Buck… there's no way you're going in there alone. We can do this. We're in this together... until the end of the line, remember?"

Bucky nodded, looking towards the bunker. "These guys are brutal. We can't hold back. If they get the chance, they will kill us. We can't afford to give them the opportunity."

Steve swallowed dryly. "Kill or be killed. Is that how it is?"

"With these guys… yeah, that's exactly how it is," Bucky confirmed.

"Alright then… Let's get to it," Steve told him, moving to make his way out of their jet and towards the ominous old hydra bunker.

The metal creaked and groaned as they entered. "Couldn't have been here more than a few hours," Steve told Bucky.

"Long enough to wake 'em up," Bucky said darkly as they made their way further inside.

They lowered themselves down an old elevator shaft quietly, each one straining their ears for any sound or clue that the soldiers were awake.

Cautiously, they left the elevator shaft and entered the dark hallways of the bunker. Before long, they began to hear more metal creaking and groaning.

"You ready?" Bucky asked.

"Yeah."

Both were surprised to see Iron Man push metal doors open and step into the dark hallway with them. Steve peaked past his shield, uncertain about what Tony was going to do.

Tony lowered his faceplate and stepped quietly towards Bucky and Steve. "You seem a little defensive," Tony told him quietly.

"It's been a long day," Steve commented.

Tony looked up to see Bucky standing ready with his gun. "At ease soldier," he hissed quietly. "I'm not currently after you."

"Then, why are you here?" Steve questioned.

"Maybe your story isn't so crazy." Tony sighed. "Ross doesn't know I'm here, and I'd like to keep it that way. Romanoff and I learned this guy isn't working alone, Steve. This is a trap."

"So… you're here as a friend?" Steve asked curiously.

"And as a teammate," Tony confirmed. "Steve… I'm sorry."

Steve nodded. "So am I."

Tony noticed Bucky was still standing with his weapon ready to fire. "Hey… Manchurian Candidate! You're killing me… there's a truce here. You can drop it."

Bucky reluctantly complied and lowered his weapon.

"There are more winter soldiers here, Tony," Steve told him.

Tony took a step in his direction. "I have reason to believe that's not the only thing they have here." A pained expression crossed Tony's face as he looked at Steve. "They have my son, Cap."

Steve and Bucky shared a look of concern. "Peter?" Steve asked. "How is that possible?"

Tony scrubbed a hand over his face. "He followed me to Germany. He was there during the fight. A man named Quentin Beck tricked Peter into leaving with him. Let's just say that Beck has a serious grudge against me. Serious enough that we believe he partnered up with Zemo in an attempt to take us all down."

"Zemo?" Bucky asked.

Tony nodded. "That's who really came to question you. He killed the real Dr. Broussard just to get to you."

"We knew something wasn't right with him. He told Sam that he wanted to 'watch an empire fall,'" Steve explained.

"Yeah… listen, we don't have much time. Beck has illusion tech. It makes people see things that he wants them to see. Zemo used that tech to make us all believe your friend there was responsible for the mess in Vienna. It was his way to exploit your weakness, Steve."

Tony watched as Bucky and Steve shared a sorrowful look. Neither one really wanted to be the other's weakness, but they knew it was true. They were more like brothers… family. They would do anything for each other.

"And Peter is mine," Tony added sadly. "Beck knows that. He brought him here, and I think he and Zemo are going to try to use my son to make their final play to take us down."

Steve nodded in understanding. "So… we need to do this together, then."

"I won't lose him again, Steve," Tony said honestly.

Steve looked over at Bucky. "I can understand that, Tony. I know what it feels like to get back someone you lost and not want to lose them all over again."

Tony looked towards Bucky and lowered his head, feeling more than a little guilty. "I suppose you do."

"We can't allow ourselves to get distracted," Bucky told them. "Like I told Steve, these soldiers are dangerous. If we get distracted, they will kill us… all of us, including the kid."

Tony and Steve nodded, giving one another a look. Both knew this would be easier with the whole team, but now wasn't the time to discuss their regrets and mistakes.

"There's still something I don't understand," Steve said. "Where was your son during the battle at the airport? He wasn't hurt was he?"

Tony sighed and mumbled a quiet, "Shit… the kid's gonna kill me." He took a deep breath and cleared his throat. "Peter is Spider-Man, Steve."

The captain's jaw instantly dropped. "What? Your child is Spider-Man? You let your teenager fight in a battle with the Avengers? God, Tony… I could've seriously hurt him!"

"Wait… are we talking about the guy who was shooting that white stuff? The guy in blue and red?" Bucky asked in confusion.

"Yeah… that's the one. Listen… spare me the lecture, Steve. I wasn't thrilled with his presence there, but he insisted. And he has those… big brown puppy dog eyes…"

Steve shook his head. "I get it, Tony. Just… we'll worry about that later."

"Good… great. What do you say we get moving? Because my kid has super-human strength, and I have no idea what they're doing to get him to cooperate right now. He needs me," Tony insisted.

A look of determination settled on Steve's face. "Alright then… let's finish this."

* * *

Tony, Steve, and Bucky all entered into the area where the winter soldiers were resting inside of canisters with some kind of yellow fluid. The room was dark, and the men had to strain their eyes in an attempt to make out any danger.

Bucky stepped ahead of them, squinting in confusion as he took in the sight of a bullet hole in the first canister. The soldier inside had taken a bullet to the head. He looked back at Steve and Tony, who had clearly noticed the same thing as he did. "What the hell?" Bucky whispered to them in confusion. He looked ahead to see that each soldier had been given the same treatment.

No sooner had Bucky spoken the words, and lights flickered on in the front of the room.

Tony's breath escaped him as he took in the sight there. Peter was strapped down on a chair that was surrounded by computers and gadgets. Beck was behind his son with a sick smirk plastered on his face as he glowered at Tony. Beck had a hand firmly planted over Peter's mouth, keeping him silent. Tony was somewhat aware of Zemo standing closeby Beck and Peter, but most of his attention remained on his kid.

Peter looked like shit. The kid was pale, and his skin held a grey tint that alarmingly reminded Tony of a corpse. "What the fuck did you do to my kid?!" Tony blurted out. He went to move forward, but Steve quickly stopped him with a firm hand to Tony's shoulder.

As soon as Tony had made a move, Beck held Peter tighter and Zemo brought a gun up to point at his son. "I'll thank you to stay right where you are, Mr. Stark," Zemo spoke. "Unless you want your child to die… it would be a shame to bring this reunion to end so quickly. We still have so much to discuss."

Steve spoke next, showing clear concern for the boy on his face. "What did you do to him?"

"Please tell me you didn't use that," Bucky spoke up, nodding at the chair. "Tell me you didn't try to wipe his memory."

Tony turned his head to look at Bucky and then back at Zemo and Beck in alarm. Tony's face suddenly looked almost as pale as his son's… almost.

Beck laughed, "No, no, no… we have much bigger plans, Sergeant Barnes. Don't worry… you'll all have a part to play."

"Enough!" Steve said, taking a cautious step forward while looking at Zemo. "You're Sokovian? Is that what this is about? You lost someone?"

Zemo glared at Steve, "I lost… _everyone_." The man clenched his jaw in frustration, looking between Steve and Tony. "And now… so will you."

Tony's coping mechanism of sarcasm and snark finally decided to make an appearance, for the lack of being able to do anything else. "A little unoriginal, don't ya' think?" Tony carefully stepped forward with Steve, motioning towards his son. "You're not the first asshole to try hurting my family. Been there… done that… I'm over it. Tell you what… you let Peter go, and you can have a go at me."

Beck responded for Zemo. "Really, Stark? You really think we'd make it that easy for you? I tried to warn you… at MIT, remember? I told you that you didn't want me as your enemy." He finally stood up to his full height and removed his hand from Peter's mouth. "Your arrogance is going to make you lose your kid all over again." Zemo smirked and had the nerve to chuckle darkly and nod at his new partner's words in approval.

Tony's eyes were once again on Peter. Even with Beck's hand removed, his son wasn't making much noise. Tony noticed how Peter's body was twitching involuntarily. The only thing Peter really did without Beck's hand in place was to pull in unsteady breaths through his mouth, gasping for air. Tony frowned, "Peter? Son? Can you hear me? Everything's gonna be alright."

Peter looked at his father and moved his lips, but no sound made it out.

Zemo looked pleased and smugly spoke, "I thought my family would be safe, too, Stark. You will be just as disappointed as me, I'm afraid."

"What. Did. You. Do?" Steve growled out the question again, emphasizing each word with increasing frustration. "I know how strong that kid is. What did you do to him?"

"We just administered a few sedatives," Beck shrugged, feigning innocence.

Zemo made eye contact with Bucky, an evil glint in his eyes. "You'll remember this one, Sergeant Barnes. Or… I'm sorry… you told me you prefer to be called Bucky." Zemo reached over to a table and lifted up a vial for Bucky to see. "Surely you know what this is… don't you, Bucky?"

Bucky's jaw dropped. "Where the hell did you get that?"

"What is that, Barnes?" Tony asked him, his voice giving away just how terrified he truly was. All traces of sarcasm gone.

"This…" Zemo spoke again. "Is a little something that Hydra used to keep these soldiers in line." Zemo had removed his gun from Peter's head, handing it over to Beck. The man kept his eyes on Bucky as he once again pulled out the red book with the black star on the cover. "I got those from the same place where I found this."

Bucky swallowed nervously, taking an involuntary step backwards at the sight of it.

"Buck?" Steve asked his friend, clearly concerned.

Bucky shook his head, looking back towards the kid who was pale and shaking in the same chair that haunted him in his dreams. "That wasn't designed for him. Too much that drug was lethal to the winter soldiers! You shouldn't mess with things you don't understand!" A mix of anger, frustration, and even fear dripped from Bucky's words.

"No!" Tony croaked out. "How much did you give him? Please, Beck, your fight is with me. Let me get Peter to a doctor! Please… I'm begging you!"

Beck and Zemo shared a look and had the nerve to laugh at the dismay shown by the other men in the room. Beck turned to look at Tony, keeping the gun near Peter's head. "How much did it hurt, Tony? How bad did it feel to learn that Obadiah orchestrated Jenny's murder and tried to kill your kid? A betrayal like that had to be painful."

Tony frowned, feeling confused by the sudden change in topic. "What… why are you… This has nothing to do with Obadiah!" Anger dripped from Tony's words. His son didn't have time for whatever game these assholes were playing.

"But it has everything to do with betrayal," Beck smirked. "I'm just curious how much this newest betrayal will hurt compared to Obadiah's."

Before Tony could ask another question, Zemo spoke. He looked at Bucky, "Mission Report… December 16, 1991."

Tony sighed in anguish and frustration. What was this? A trip down the Tony Stark trail of traumatic events? First Beck brings up what Stane did to Jenny and Peter. Now Zemo was bringing up the day his parents died? Nothing about this made sense.

"Steve…" Bucky whispered out to his friend, looking concerned.

"Let it go, Zemo… Don't do this!" Steve commanded.

"MISSION REPORT! December 16, 1991," Zemo growled out again.

"What the hell is this?!" Tony muttered out to no one in particular. He looked towards his son and could see tears leaking out of the kid's eyes, clearly hurting and full of discomfort. He was pulled away from looking at his son once Beck began to speak again.

This time, Beck was holding what looked like an old journal. "The translation isn't perfect, so you'll have to bear with me." He dramatically cleared his throat before he started to read. "16th of December 1991… Asset successfully retrieved Howard Stark's new super soldier formula. The asset caused Stark's car to crash while traveling down a deserted road. Howard Stark and his passenger, Maria Stark, survived the initial impact. The asset reports eliminating both subjects by using his metal arm to deliver fatal blows to each person's skull. The asset then left the scene with the serum. Authorities will find little to no trace of the asset's involvement in the crash. Mission successful."

Tony's heart had sped up even faster than it already was as Beck read the words out loud. He fought to keep his breathing under control as he slowly turned to look at Barnes and his metal arm… the asset… Barnes was the asset! He killed his parents! A pained growl left Tony's mouth as he suddenly moved towards the other man before Steve stopped him.

"Don't! Tony, Please! He didn't know what he was doing!" Steve insisted as he tried to keep Tony from attacking his best friend.

There was something about the look on Steve's face that made Tony feel unsettled. Steve didn't seem surprised by the word's Beck read at all. Tony frowned at Steve, "Did you know?!"

Steve gave him a sorrowful look, "I didn't know it was him."

Tony pushed Steve off of him and took a step back, glaring at the two men who were supposed to be on his side. "You lied to me?" Tony asked, his voice quivering with anger.

"So…" Beck spoke again, turning Tony's attention back to him. "Which is it, Stark? Roger's betrayal… his friend killing your parents? Or Stane's betrayal… when he killed your whore and took your son?"

Tony's breath escaped him and he felt like his knees were ready to give out. He could hardly process anything that was happening right now. Tony choked a little as he tried to keep his emotions in check and tears at bay. He looked over past Steve and towards Bucky again. "I'm really tired of people killing my family. I never even got to say goodbye…"

Tony was just about ready to charge Barnes when Zemo interrupted him. "Ahh… that is a feeling I know all too well." Zemo moved over towards Peter. "But I do not think you know my pain just yet, Mr. Stark. After all, there is still the matter of your son." Zemo placed his hand on Peter's cheek, finally getting a sound out of the boy.

Peter let out a small cry as Zemo touched him, and the sound cut straight to Tony's heart like a knife. Tony was moving before he could even think about it, trying to get to his son. "Get away from him!" he growled.

"Stop!" Beck warned, pushing the gun into Peter's temple.

Tony couldn't take it anymore. He could no longer stop the tears from falling as he looked at his son. "Please… please don't kill him, Zemo. Beck… he's just a kid. Please!"

Zemo took a step back from Peter and had the nerve to smile. He clutched the red book and held it in front of him. "You misunderstand, Stark. We aren't going to kill your son." He looked past Tony over towards Bucky. "He is."

Tony whipped his head over towards Barnes, who looked mortified.

Steve made eye contact with Tony. They both seemed to realize the plan at the same time and stared at each other in horror.

"Don't!" Steve shouted at Zemo. He shifted his shield as if ready to throw it at the Sokovian, but Tony raised his hand in alarm to stop him.

"Cap! No! Not while they have Peter!" Tony cried out in alarm.

"Желание (Longing)," Zemo called out. "Ржавый (Rusted)."

"Oh God… not again," Bucky breathed out in fear.

"Buck… cover your ears! Don't listen!" Steve yelled.

Zemo continued. "Семнадцать... Рассвет…" (Seventeen… Daybreak…)

Tony was frozen, unsure of what to do. Did he go after Barnes or try to get to Peter? "Steve?" Tony called to his teammate, looking for the captain to do something about this.

"Печь... Девять…" (Furnace… Nine…) Zemo kept going.

"No!" Tony's legs finally moved as he decided to charge Bucky. He was the immediate threat. He couldn't attack Peter if he was dead.

"Tony, wait!" Steve protested.

"Добросердечный… Возвращение на родину…," (Benign… Homecoming…) Zemo's voice grew louder in order to be heard over the protests of Steve, Bucky, and Tony.

The Avengers were tangled with one another. Bucky gripping Steve like a lifeline, while Steve tried to hold Tony back.

"Один… Товарный вагон…" (One… Freight Car…) Zemo finished.

Everyone froze. A blank look washed over Bucky's face, causing Steve and Tony to take a few steps away from the man.

"Солдат?" (Soldier?) Zemo called to Bucky.

Bucky's response was immediate, automatic and rehearsed. "Я жду приказаний." (Ready to comply.)

"Shit," Steve muttered at the same time as Tony let out a colorful expletive of his own. "Bucky?!" Steve urgently called to his friend. "Come on, man. Snap out of it!"

"Солдат…" Zemo commanded. "... Убить Питера Паркера." He gave Tony and Steve a horrible smile as he offered them a translation. "Soldier, kill Peter Parker."

Steve and Tony shared another horrified look with one another before they were moving again.

"Don't you dare!" Tony cried out as he and Steve charged the Winter Soldier.

Steve grabbed Bucky's metal arm as Tony quickly knocked his weapon away.

"Tony!" Steve yelled over the commotion of the fight. "I've got Bucky! You get to Peter!"

Tony growled in frustration. He wanted to kill Barnes. The man killed his parents and was currently trying to kill his son. However, Tony could not deny that he also felt an urgent need to get his child the hell out of this awful place. Tony gave Barnes a final shove before turning to look towards Peter.

Zemo was making his exit. Tony saw Beck doing something with his tech, and his drones suddenly came to hover nearby. While Beck was distracted with his tech, Tony wasted no time trying to move towards his son.

"Pete!" He called out, noticing that the boy's eyes were open and frantically looking in Tony's direction.

Finally, Tony got to hear his son's voice. "Dad!" Peter croaked out weakly.

Tony actually faltered a little upon hearing the word. The name should have been music to his ears, but the urgency and pleading tone of his son's voice sent a shock of cold fear to Tony's core. "Hang on, kiddo! I'm coming! Dad's coming to get you!"

Tony was moving again when he noticed Beck shooting him a smug look as he pressed a button. Tony noticed the drones move and suddenly he couldn't see Peter anymore. His sense of equilibrium was thrown off as his surroundings shifted. Tony was no longer in the cold Hydra bunker. Instead, he was on a road and quickly dove out of the way as an old sedan came right at him. Some part of his mind tried to tell him this wasn't real, but instinct made him move away from the vehicle.

Tony was breathing heavily, in short and frantic gasps as he watched the car smash into a tree and burst into flames. A motorcycle stopped by the car. Tony saw Bucky Barnes moving off of the motorcycle and rage shot through him.

"Howard!" A woman's voice was calling out in pain from inside of the car. Tony knew that voice. It was his mother's voice.

Tony lost all sense of what was real and what wasn't. He had the horrible realization that he was witnessing the very murder he had only just learned about. He was about to see James Barnes kill his parents. "No!" Tony called to the image of Barnes. He pushed himself to his feet, following the Winter Soldier as he stalked over to the driver's side of the car.

He was horrified to find his father on the ground, trying to crawl away from the crash. "Please help my wife," his father said. "Please… help."

Tony saw Barnes step in front of his father and grab a hold of his hair. "Stop!" Tony called out and moved to tackle the man… hoping to get him away from Howard. Nothing happened as Tony went through the image of Barnes and his father, landing painfully on the ground. He now had another angle of the attack on his father. Howard looked up at the Winter Soldier, "Sergeant Barnes?" Barnes didn't give an answer. Instead, Tony now had a front row seat as the man used his metal arm to smash in his father's face. Tony couldn't breathe. He could hear his mother calling for his father from inside the car.

"Mom!" Tony called out, stumbling to get off the ground and save her.

As Barnes placed his father back in the car and moved around the back of the vehicle towards his mother, Tony went around the tree so that he was coming from the front. He once again tried to tackle the soldier, only to fall a second time. This time, Tony didn't look. He couldn't watch. He just heard the sound of Barnes' attacking his mom as she sat helpless in the passenger seat of the damaged car.

Tony cried out in anguish as the Winter Soldier was now coming in his direction. He was on the ground and had turned so that he was on his back side. He used his legs and arms to push himself backwards and away from the threat. Tony's helmet was retracted, and his face clearly showed the anguish and fear as Barnes moved at him. Tony quickly activated his helmet. No sooner was his face shielded and Tony raised his hand to blast the murderer. But of course the blast went right through Barnes. The soldier stepped right over Tony and got on his motorcycle.

"FRIDAY… we… we need to go after him," Tony stuttered.

"Boss… this isn't real. What you're seeing is all an illusion," his AI's voice was somehow full of concern for him. "This isn't real!" FRIDAY repeated more urgently.

"Oh god…" Tony breathed out. This was too much. He felt moments away from a panic attack. But then he heard it…

"D- Dad?!"

"Peter…" Tony gasped. How could he let himself get distracted? This is what Beck wanted. Where was the real Barnes? Was Steve holding him back? Tony quickly pulled himself together. His son needed him right now. "FRIDAY… we need to deactivate the drones!"

"Already on it, Boss," FRIDAY assured him. Just then, his AI sent out an electromagnetic pulse.

Tony was relieved as the illusion fell away and the drones dropped to the floor as a result of the pulse. He could see Peter again, and he realized in horror that Barnes and Rogers were closer to his son. He could no longer see Beck, but he didn't have time to worry about that. He had to get to Peter before Barnes.

Tony grunted in pain as he pushed himself towards Peter. He jumped up towards the chair his son was in and quickly retracted his helmet once again. "Peter?" Tony questioned him in concern, carefully lowering his hands down to his son's shoulders. He was relieved when his hands didn't go through his kid's form. Peter was really there. He didn't have time to feel relieved, however, because Peter looked even worse now that he was closer. "Junior… can you hear me?"

Peter groaned and moved his glassy eyes towards Tony's voice. "H-help… Dad… plea' he'p me."

"Okay… I've got you. Dad's here now. It's gonna be alright. I'm gonna get you outta here, Pete. Don't you worry." Tony's reassurances were spoken quickly and frantically. Steve was still wrestling with the Winter Soldier, and they were way closer to his kid than he would like. Tony fought the urge to blast Barnes. He needed to keep his focus on Peter right now. He would have to trust Steve to handle the Winter Soldier.

"Hur's… It h-hurts." Peter groaned out.

Tony didn't miss the way Peter's pupils were blown to hell. His son was sweating profusely and he looked way too grey in color. "I'm gonna get you to a doctor, kiddo. You're going to be okay." Tony used his gauntlet's to cut through the restraints that were holding his son. He wasn't completely sure if the reassurance was for himself or his son.

As soon as Tony cut Peter free, he looked up in time to see Steve deliver a final blow to Bucky with his shield. They were close enough that the force of the blow knocked Bucky down right at Peter's feet.

Tony looked up at Steve. The super soldier was gasping for breath and his face was full of bruises. Blood was dripping from numerous cuts and the soldier groaned in pain as he stood to his full height. Tony moved his eyes down to Barnes, making sure that he was no longer an active threat to Peter.

Steve gave Tony a nod, "You alright? That illusion…"

Apparently Steve saw Beck's handy work, but there wasn't time to talk about that now. Tony reached over to a nearby table. He grabbed cuffs and tossed them to Steve. "Secure him…" he nodded towards Barnes. "... if those cuffs are in this place, then they should hold him. I'm not willing to risk my kid's safety."

Steve nodded, groaning again as he moved to secure Bucky's arms behind his back. Steve wasn't convinced the cuffs would work with Bucky's metal arm, but he wasn't going to argue with Tony about that right now. "How is he?" Steve asked as he stood to look at Peter.

Tony scooped his son into his arms, flashing back to when he used to pick up his baby's sleeping form in the same way. Tony swallowed past the lump in his throat. "I need to get him out of here. He needs help…"

Steve nodded. He quickly bent down, grabbing Bucky and hoisting him up onto his shoulder in a fireman's carry. "Let's go."

Steve and Tony moved quickly. Each one moved with labored breathing as their panicked minds struggled with the stress of what they just experienced. It had been one shitty day… one shitty week, really. They had a lot to talk about, but that would have to wait.

When they got outside, they were shocked to be met by T'Challa. "Stark? Captain?" The Black Panther looked back and forth between the men and who each one was carrying.

"How'd you find us?" Steve asked with a groan as he shifted Bucky's weight a little.

"I followed Stark," T'Challa confessed.

"You've been here all this time?!" Tony cried out in frustration. "What the hell have you been doing? We could've used the assist!"

The king of Wakanda moved aside and motioned behind him. "I was coming to help you now. I thought it would be wise to stop them first."

Tony and Steve looked behind the young king to see both Beck and Zemo unconscious and bound securely by a jet. One they could only assume belonged to T'Challa.

"Fair enough," Steve commented. "We need to get them help," Steve said, gesturing his head to Bucky and Peter.

T'Challa nodded. "Come with me. I can help you." He motioned them towards his jet, and both Tony and Steve were too tired to worry about which aircraft would take them to safety.

Tony situated Peter onto a cot that T'Challa had in the back, and Steve did the same with Bucky.

Tony briefly considered arguing that Steve take his murderous friend on another jet. However, Barnes was the only one who knew anything about the drugs that were given to Peter.

Sure, T'Challa was securing Zemo and Beck in another area of the jet, but Tony wasn't sure he could count on them to give any accurate information.

As T'Challa joined them, Steve looked at him with sadness in his eyes. "I need to make sure Bucky is secure. Zemo triggered him again. I don't want to restrain him, but…"

"...You need to be sure." T'Challa finished, nodding in understanding. T'Challa moved to the side and slid open a panel. He grabbed straps and handed them to Steve. "These are made with Vibranium. Use these to secure him to the cot. Everything in here is made with vibranium. It is all secured in place. Your friend will not go anywhere if he wakes up before we arrive."

Steve nodded and began to carefully secure Bucky.

Tony stood and frowned. "Make them tight," he said to Steve as he moved to follow T'Challa.

"Did they have anything with them?' Tony asked T'Challa. "They gave something to Peter. We might be able to analyze it if they have more."

T'Challa nodded towards some bags as he continued towards the pilot's chair. "If you find it, my sister can analyze it for you in her lab."

Tony quickly looked through the bags, frowning at T'Challa's words as he looked. "Your sister's lab? We need to get back to the Avenger's facility in New York. I have access to the best doctors there."

The jet roared to life as T'Challa spoke. "We do not know each other, Stark. But I promise you… my sister may be the only person in the world who can help the boy. Please… trust me."

A look of triumph crossed Tony's face as he found what he was looking for. Tony held it in his hands and looked up towards the Wakandan king. "This is my son's life. I can't gamble with that."

"I understand. I promise you… on my father's grave… I will help your son. It is his BEST chance."

The jet was beginning to move, so Tony quickly went to get back to Peter. When he stood up to move, he realized that Beck and Zemo were secured in some sort of holding area built into the side of the jet. There was so much he wanted to say to them, but they weren't deserving of his time at the moment. His son needed him more right now.

Tony secured the vial of sedative into his suit and moved back to Peter, settling in and buckling himself into a seat by Peter's cot.

Tony brushed the brown curls off of his son's forehead and gently placed a kiss above his brow. Peter hummed softly in response to the contact. "Shh… we're going to get some help, Pete. I need you to hang in there for me, okay? Can you do that for me?"

Peter let a small groan. His eyes were closed, but he managed to answer. "M'kay…"

"You think he'll be alright?" Steve asked, sounding genuinely concerned.

Tony finally looked the other man in the eyes, having been unable to do so earlier. He wanted to be angry with him. Steve had lied about his parents. Tony surely had a right to be mad.

But the look of sorrow on Steve's face convinced Tony that now was not the time to be angry. They both went through hell today. They could sort out their differences later.

Tony offered Steve a sad smile. "I really hope so, Cap. I can't…" Tony blinked back the tears that suddenly threatened to fall and swallowed. "I can't lose him again."

Steve nodded, glancing down towards his unconscious friend. Instead of saying anything, Steve lifted a hand up to rest on Tony's shoulder.

Tony let a few tears drop as he lifted up his own hand to grasp Steve's, welcoming the comfort. There was a silent understanding between them in that moment. There was no need for them to take this out on each other. They weren't so different. They only ever tried to do the best they could for the people they cared about.

As T'Challa's jet rushed to get them help, each man could only hope that they wouldn't lose any more family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few notes about things that bothered me in Civil War.
> 
> 1\. How in the hell was there a traffic camera or whatever to film the murder of Howard and Maria Stark? That made no sense to me. Did the Winter Soldier crash the car in the exact spot where Hydra set up a camera for that mission? Doubtful. So... I decided instead that mission notes in a journal made more sense. It felt more impactful to have Tony deal with Beck making him see them die in an illusion he created of the event. He would know what they looked and sounded like because he worked on the presentation Tony gave at MIT. Tony will still have to deal with the trauma of being in the middle of that horrible scene, but that will come later.
> 
> 2\. The stupid bunker Zemo was hiding in to protect himself in Siberia. I decided to copy the image of that room with the canisters holding the other winter soldiers. However, instead of the bunker, I imagined a chair like the one they used to wipe Bucky's memory in "The Winter Soldier."
> 
> I really wish I had skills as an artist to draw out what I imagine, but I cannot. Hopefully, I have enough detail to help bring these images to your mind in just the way they play out in mine. It's possible that I will need to clean this up a little, but I didn't want you to wait any longer for the chapter.
> 
> Also, I will still solve the mystery of what happened to Peter as a child. That is still coming. I just wanted to give Peter and Tony another hurdle to get over first.
> 
> Please leave a comment and let me know what you think.


	14. Feels Like Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The wait is over! It took me awhile to get this right. I kept rewriting it because I wanted the right details put in place, mixed with just the right amount of humor and Irondad. And I also needed to maintain a certain level of mystery. Will the big questions finally be answered? Please read and find out. Enjoy :)

Tony felt like he hadn't slept in a month. His body ached, and yet he also somehow managed to feel numb. His mind couldn't really process all that had happened in the last 24 hours. He sighed and looked down at Peter. His son had managed to fall into a restless sleep. It was anything but a peaceful sleep; the kid's face was etched in pain and pitiful sounds periodically escaped from his lips.

Tony rubbed a tired hand over his face. They were still on the jet. Steve had left to check with T'Challa, eager to know how soon they would arrive at their destination. He let his hand drop back to his lap and shifted a little, daring to glance at the other man strapped down nearby.

Barnes was still out. He had a nasty bump and bruise on the side of his head from where Steve had used his shield to finally stop the Winter Soldier's attack on Peter. Tony couldn't stop the feeling of contempt for this man. He knew he was Steve's best friend, and he understood that the man was brainwashed and used as Hydra's weapon.

And yet… images from Beck's illusion danced through Tony's mind. This man… this weapon… he caused the crash and finished off Tony's parents with his own hands. Could Tony really let that go? He also could've killed Peter with those same hands! That metal arm could've smashed Peter's head and taken him away while Tony watched.

He shivered at the thought, turning his eyes back to Peter. No… his son was alive. And Tony was going to make sure he kept breathing. He really hoped that T'Challa was right. He wasn't going to be able to live with himself if he made the wrong choice here. If Peter dies in Wakanda, it was going to be Tony's fault.

Steve interrupted Tony's dark thoughts with his return to the back. "T'Challa says we're about ten minutes out." He glanced at Peter. "How's the kid holding up?"

Tony sighed and shrugged. "I don't know, Cap. I don't know what I'm dealing with here. He's… well… he seems to be resting, so that's good, I guess."

Steve nodded solemnly and moved to sit down again. No sooner had Steve planted himself in his seat, when another groan echoed through the area. This one did not belong to Peter. Instead, Tony and Steve each held their breath as Bucky stirred.

Tony shot a worried look at Steve. The captain briefly met his gaze before turning his attention back to his friend as he came back to awareness. "Buck?" Steve dared to ask. "Hey… take it easy… can you hear me?"

Bucky's eyes opened and shut a few times as his eyes adjusted to the light. The man groaned and pulled a little at the straps holding him down. "St- Steve?" He questioned, clearly disoriented and confused.

"That's right, Buck. It's Steve," his friend soothed. "You were triggered again, Bucky. We had to keep you secured until we knew you were… well… we needed to know you were back to being yourself again."

Bucky shut his eyes and groaned some more. "Oh my god…" Bucky whispered out, sounding regretful. He opened his eyes and turned his head in an attempt to look around. His eyes stopped as they landed on Peter. "Did I… uh… Is he…?" Bucky couldn't bring himself to finish the question.

"I stopped you before you could get to him," Steve told him.

Bucky nodded, but kept his eyes on Peter for a moment. He then got the courage to lift his eyes towards Tony. The Iron Man met Bucky's gaze, and the look he found there was almost enough to make Bucky turn away. And yet, Bucky held the stony glare from the other man. Seeing the emotions in those eyes… facing the truth… facing the consequences of his actions was something he deserved.

Tony's eyes held so many emotions… fear, anger, disappointment. There was clear disdain being shot in Bucky's direction. "St- Stark…" Bucky managed to say. "If I could take it back… I would. I wish… I wish I could erase it all. I really do."

"You can't," Tony spat out bitterly. "You can't undo what you did to my mom… or to my dad for that matter."

Bucky swallowed nervously and glanced at Steve for a moment before turning his eyes back to Tony. "I… uh… I know it doesn't ch-change anything, but… I am sorry. Truly. I'm sorry."

Tony tore his eyes away and shook his head in frustration, clenching his jaw. "We don't have time for that right now. We can hash it out later. Thankfully, I still have my son. You can't do anything about the past, but I am hoping you might be able to help me with what's happening to my kid right now."

Bucky frowned a little as he glanced back at Peter. "He looks like he's hurting pretty bad." Bucky groaned a little and squinted in concentration. His memory of the events was a little foggy. "They gave him something, right? The s-sedative meant for the soldiers? Was that it?"

Tony nodded, but it was Steve who spoke next. "Can you tell us anything about it, Buck? You mentioned that it was dangerous… or even fatal if the soldiers were given too much."

"How much trouble is my kid in, Barnes?" Tony added.

Bucky's frown deepened and he shook his head again. "I can't be sure of how it is impacting the kid. That stuff… it was brutal. I remember Hydra talking about it… it's there in my mind like… like a distant memory, but I do remember it. They talked about how it was meant to attack the cells enhanced by the serum. They wanted it to… uh… to temporarily disable the soldiers. It worked sometimes, but… too much of it…" Bucky paused as a memory flashed through his mind. "Too much seemed to completely reverse the serum. It left the soldiers in a worse state than ever before. Hydra decided they were useless at that point… they just finished those soldiers off… if they were even still alive to be killed."

"But Peter never had a serum, did he?" Steve asked, looking at Tony. "How exactly did Peter get his abilities?"

Tony shook his head. "Not from a serum. It was… uh…" Tony struggled a little with how to explain it. "... a mutation, I guess you'd say. It happened after he was bit by a radioactive spider."

Bucky and Steve shared a surprised look with one another. Clearly, they weren't expecting that answer.

Steve frowned, "So… what is that stuff attacking inside the kid's body?"

"Damn it..." Tony cursed, placing his head in his hands. "I don't know…"

Bucky and Steve shared a worried look with one another as they felt the jet shift lower.

"We're landing," Steve commented.

Bucky pulled at the straps holding him down. "Any chance you'll take me outta these?"

Tony answered for Steve, "Hell no… not while you're anywhere near my kid."

It was that moment when Peter stirred again, letting out a painful groan. "Ugh… Wha'? Wh- wha's hap'ning?"

Tony quickly placed a reassuring hand on his son's shoulder. "Hold tight, kiddo. We're landing… gonna get you some help, okay?"

Peter turned his eyes up towards his father's voice. He looked so small and so young in his weakened state. And yet, somehow his drugged eyes showed complete trust in his father's words. Peter swallowed and gave a small nod. "...'kay. I j-just wan' it t'stop. Hurts."

"I know kiddo… just hold on a little longer for me," Tony told him, earning another small nod from Peter.

Tony looked over at Steve as he felt the jet jostle with the landing. Both men held hope in their eyes as they shared a look. Each one knew… if anything happened to Peter, nothing would ever be the same again. Zemo and Beck will have won.

* * *

When the jet landed, T'Challa directed his Dora Milaje to take Beck and Zemo into custody until they could decide what to do with them. The Black Panther was aware of the deception of these two men, and the chaos that followed as a result. Romanoff had sent him video files, and he learned who was truly responsible for his father's death upon landing in Siberia.

He was content with the chance to stop Zemo in Siberia before he could escape, and he was none too gentle about it. He gave the same treatment to man's partner when he tried to escape not too long after he had taken Zemo down.

T'Challa couldn't believe just how much damage was done by these men. The Avengers nearly killed each other. Numerous people could have lost their lives. The life of Stark's son still hung in the balance, and he really wasn't sure what to do about Barnes.

He knew his younger sister was their best chance. During the flight back to Wakanda, he'd sent her a message to be ready. Now, he watched as Shuri directed her team and rushed Peter to her lab.

Steve Roger's friend was taken in another direction. Barnes was stable at the moment, so his sister was likely to give directions for how to keep him that way until she could figure out how to remove whatever Hydra put in the man's head.

T'Challa followed his sister, wanting to know more about the state of Stark's son. He was surprised to learn that Spider-Man was the young Stark. Actually, he was surprised to learn about Stark's son at all… he was pretty sure he recalled that the boy was lost at a young age. He put that aside for now, knowing he could get those details later. Right now, they had to help the young man recover from whatever happened during his captivity. He listened as Shuri spoke with the older Stark.

"Did you send me the files you have of Peter's DNA? It will help me to analyze any changes," Shuri said.

Tony nodded, "My AI sent you everything we have on my son's DNA… from before and after his mutation. I have this, too. It's what they gave him." He handed her the vial he had found earlier.

After handing Shuri the vial, his eyes widened a little as he watched Shuri work. Peter was placed on a cot in what looked like a medical workstation in the princess' lab. Around his son's head, hexagonal shapes morphed into symbols that read his vitals and displayed various images.

The princess tapped at the images, and holograms appeared above his son's form, displaying what was happening inside of his body.

T'Challa couldn't help but to smirk at the surprised look on Tony's face. The Iron Man clearly hadn't expected anything this advanced to be in Wakanda.

Shuri reached to her side, tapping at the wall next to her and somehow pulling up the files she requested from Tony. "You mentioned that this sedative they gave him was designed to attack the serum inside of the winter soldiers, correct?" Shuri asked Tony.

"That's what Barnes said… he mentioned that it went after the cells affected by the serum as a way to subdue them, but Peter's cells weren't altered by a serum," Tony explained, watching as Shuri manipulated and studied the images.

Peter was awake, looking anxiously at the holograms above him. He was still deathly pale, sweaty, and looked terribly disoriented. However, he tried to speak and understand what was happening to him. "Ugh… i-it was a sp-spider bite," he mentioned, shifting his eyes to look at Shuri.

She nodded, pursing her lips in concentration. "Hmmm… It looks like whatever they gave you is impacting your mutation. These readings show a decrease when compared to this DNA," Shuri said, pointing to the images from the files Tony sent of Peter's mutation prior to the sedative.

"So… it's reversing his mutation?" Tony asked, concerned about what that could mean for Peter's overall health and wellbeing.

Peter's own eyes shot open. "I'm losing m-my powers?"

Shuri shook her head. "I cannot be sure. That may not be the case, but we need to flush your system of what they gave you." She looked at her assistants. "He needs fluids, and we need saline to flush these drugs out of him." They nodded and immediately got to work. She gave them a few more instructions along the way in her native language, and they worked diligently as they were determined to help someone so young.

Peter trembled, but remained still for them. He lifted his disoriented and worry-filled eyes to look at Tony. "I… I d-don't understan' what's hap'ning. Am I… am I going to -"

Tony cut him off. "- you're going to be just fine. They're going to figure this out, okay? Just rest, Pete. We've got you." Tony lifted his eyes towards the princess, hoping she would confirm that his words were true.

She gave him a small smile, attempting reassurance. "We will do everything that we can."

T'Challa moved next to his sister and watched as Peter began to drift off while his father gently stroked his fingers through his hair. The fluids were doing their job… flushing the drugs and administering fluids seemed to be slowly wiping the pain from the young man's face. He suspected they had given him something for that pain as well.

Tony lifted his eyes up towards T'Challa and Shuri. "I uh… I don't know exactly what all this is…" he said quietly, using his head to gesture towards the lab and tech surrounding him. "... but … yeah, I -"

"-You're welcome, Stark," T'Challa interrupted, knowing that the man was likely heading in that direction. Surely, it wasn't easy for the older genius to admit that he was grateful for someone else's technology.

Tony just gave him a somber smile in response, directing his attention back towards his son for the time being.

They were all silent for a few minutes, each wrapped up in their own tasks before Shuri spoke again. "He is stable and should be able to rest comfortably for awhile. It would be wise for you to get some rest as well, Mr. Stark."

Tony shook his head. "I'm not leaving him."

Shuri smiled. "I guessed as much." She pressed a button and a chair seemed to materialize from out of the floor. "Surely you'd like to get out of that damaged suit of yours as well…" She gestured to the lab around her. "We can make repairs to it here if you'd like."

Tony frowned a little. "That's alright… I have other suits. No need to go tampering with this one." He raised an eyebrow at her. "Unless you're eager to see how this works."

Shuri smirked. "Not at all. I just thought we could help you make some improvements."

Before the two geniuses could enter into a battle of wits and intelligence, T'Challa spoke up. "Perhaps you can discuss that later, Shuri. We should see that Barnes is settled and secure… let Stark and his son rest for a while."

"Of course, brother," Shuri agreed, her eyes twinkling with pride in her work. She knew she could give Tony Stark a run for his money.

Tony watched as Shuri and T'Challa bowed out, as well as most of the assistants. Tony and Peter were mostly alone now, with only a few Wakandans lingering nearby to offer assistance if needed.

Tony sighed, shifting to deactivate and remove his suit. He had almost forgotten that he still had it on. The suit whirred and clicked as it separated away from him. It was supposed to fold up into a cube, but the damage made it fold up awkwardly and some pieces just fell away to the floor. Tony cursed softly at the noise, but was glad when Peter didn't wake. He carefully placed the remnants of his suit aside and focused on the chair for him to sit on. It didn't look particularly comfortable and Tony frowned at it, wondering how he was supposed to rest on the stupid thing.

He shifted his clothes, trying to get comfortable. He was still wearing the same thing from when he was last in the medical wing with Natasha and getting help for Rhodes. He surely needed a shower, but that would have to wait. His mind drifted to his best friend, and he hoped that Rhodey was alright. He felt a twinge of guilt knowing that he was doing a terrible job of taking care of the people closest to him. He sent a look back towards Peter as he settled himself into the chair.

Tony startled some as he felt the chair shift as he sat. To his surprise, whatever material the chair was made of seemed to shift and change in shape. It seemed to mold itself around him and change to perfectly fit and support the shape of his body, cradling him from head to toe. It was still made of a stiff material, like metal, but the perfect support was actually quite comfortable. Tony noticed his arms were perfectly supported by arm rests that had an area by his fingers that lit up. He rubbed his fingers experimentally over the spot. When he did, the chair shifted its position slightly. He raised his eyebrows and gave a reluctant smile in approval. He was, in fact, impressed. Not that he would ever admit that to Princess Shuri. He moved his fingers over the spot until his chair was perfectly positioned by Peter. Tony lifted his hand over towards his son so that he was holding the kid's hand, needing the contact. He noticed the chair shifted again to support his arm from underneath as it stretched over to Peter.

Alright… definitely impressive. Tony sighed again. His exhaustion and overwhelmed emotions made him feel heavy. He let himself settle into his seat, and soon he was drifting off and sleeping next to his kid.

There was still a lot to sort through, but at least, for now, they were safe.

* * *

William Ginter Riva was more than a little concerned when Beck didn't check in. He should have heard something hours ago. The last he heard, Beck had managed to capture Stark's kid and was off to meet Zemo.

Helmut Zemo had found William months before, looking for information about Stark. The man had a bone to pick with the Avengers due to the disaster that they caused in Sokovia. It only seemed natural to connect Zemo and Beck.

William offered his services in any way that he could, helping Beck code the illusions and prep the new drones. The tech was flawless, and William felt sure that Stark would finally get what was coming to him.

After the incident with Obadiah Stane, William felt like he was wrongly terminated. It wasn't exactly like William asked to help with Sector 16. As a top engineer, he was placed on that assignment. And it was unwise to ever decline a project given by Obadiah Stane.

Unfortunately for William, he learned things about Obadiah during that project. At the man's request, he backed up Stane's personal files, and he told William that he would kill him if William ever revealed the contents of those files.

When Stane "vanished" (or was killed… he never did buy into the lie from Shield about the plane), William considered turning over the files to the proper authorities. But then, Stark terminated him… marking his record and disgracing his name. He was unhirable… no one wanted an engineer that was black listed by Tony Stark.

So… William kept the files for himself. He went through them, surprised to find just how deep Stane's contempt for Tony truly was. It was shocking to learn of the man's involvement in the incident with Jenny DeVega and Stark Jr. And yet, William still kept the information to himself.

The exception, of course, was Beck. When William was fired, Beck stayed in contact with him. Quentin agreed that being fired and black listed was far from fair. William even witnessed Beck's growing dislike for Stark over the years as they worked on the holographic technology. Beck had brilliant ideas, but Stark refused to acknowledge any input from Quentin. William knew it was only a matter of time before that all boiled over.

And look where they are now. Beck and Zemo would put an end to the Stark legacy and bring an end to the Avengers. It was so exciting… about time that someone struck down those arrogant jerks who dared to call themselves superheroes.

William tapped his foot impatiently and glared at the screen on his phone, willing it to buzz with an update from Beck. Had Stark arrived? Was it over?

William's thoughts were interrupted when he heard a knock at his door. That was strange. His base of operations was currently being run out of a storage unit. The only person who was likely to knock was Beck, and there was no way he was back from Siberia. Perhaps it was the owner of the storage unit.

"Hello?" William called out. "Who's there?"

"Excuse me," a female voice called out. "I have the unit next door, and I seemed to have managed to lock my cell phone and keys inside. I heard you in there, and… this is so embarrassing… do you think I could borrow your phone?"

William sighed in relief, thankful it was only some dumb broad who had locked herself out of her unit. "Uh… sure… just a second," William called out, covering up some of his equipment.

He made his way over and opened the door, freezing as he recognized the woman on the other side.

"Hey there," the redhead said, quickly lifting her leg to kick William back inside.

William yelped as he landed hard on the ground behind him, coughing and wheezing as the air was knocked from his lungs. "You… y-you're the *cough* … you're the Bl-Black Widow," William groaned out as he tried to push himself away from her.

Natasha smirked as she stepped inside and closed the door behind her. "It's so nice of you to recognize me." She took some menacing steps forward. "You and I have some things to talk about, don't we William?"

"Y-you know me?" he asked in surprise.

Natasha's eyes grew dark and menacing. "It's my job to learn about people, Mr. Riva. For example, I know you have poor taste in friends."

William swallowed nervously. "Uh… I… I don't know w-what you're talking about."

Natasha stood back up quickly, using her booted foot to forcefully push him all the way down to the ground. She placed her foot over his throat and applied just enough weight to let the man know that she wasn't messing around. "I'm not interested in your lies, William. I've come all this way to get answers from you." She pressed down with a little more weight and added, "... and I expect you to tell me everything."

* * *

Sounds were the first thing Peter noticed. Some part of his brain expected to hear beeping; however, this was more like a hum or whirring sound. He also heard the sound of soft snoring from somewhere nearby.

Images flashed through Peter's mind as he clawed his way back to wakefulness.

_The fight at the airport._

_His father… no it was Beck, taking him onto a plane._

_A Needle… pain… darkness_

_Strapped to a chair… Beck and another man… Zemo_

_More pain… his insides feeling like they were dissolving_

_His real father arriving with Captain America and Bucky Barnes… Beck holding him from behind_

_Zemo and Beck revealing how Tony's parents… Peter's grandparents were murdered_

_Zemo speaking Russian… Barnes going haywire_

_His father caught up in an illusion of how Howard and Maria died… Rogers and Barnes fighting_

_Tony getting him free_

_Flying on another jet_

_Arriving somewhere new… a pretty girl taking care of him… looking at his DNA_

_His mutation… there was something wrong… maybe losing his powers_

It was that last thought that made Peter gasp and shoot up into a seated position. He was breathing rapidly and looking around warily at his surroundings.

His father, likely the source of the snoring that Peter heard earlier, jerked awake as Peter sat up. He quickly swiped a hand over his face as he looked at his son. "Pete? Kid… lay down! Take it easy… you're alright."

Peter didn't lay down. Instead, he looked at the place he was in, surprised to find the area looked more like a lab than a medical center. The area he was in had technology that moved. Images on the walls seemed to twist and shift around him. It was unlike anything he had ever seen before. He had some awareness of being here before falling asleep, but now he was looking at it with more clarity.

"Peter? Kiddo… you alright?" Tony was now standing next to him, bracing Peter as he sat up with one hand behind him and another hand hovering in front of him. "Talk to me, buddy."

Peter took a few more breaths before he turned his eyes to look at Tony. His father looked tired, and his face was covered in various cuts and bruises. Peter frowned a little. "Tony? Uh…" He paused, once again reviewing the previous events in his mind. "Yeah… I think… um… I think I'm okay."

Tony released the breath he was holding, moving to fully embrace Peter in a hug. "Thank god. You scared the shit outta me, kid." He placed a gentle kiss to Peter's head before resting his own forehead against Peter's.

Peter let a small huff of laughter. "Yeah… I scared the shit outta myself, I think." Peter gently released himself from Tony's hold to lay back down. He brought his hands up to his face, noticing the IVs in his hand. Peter sighed and took a few breaths. "Did that… did that all really happen?"

Tony gave him a sad smile. "If you're thinking of fighting Rogers and his pals and then getting taken by Beck to Siberia… where I had a horrible trip down my memory lane… then… yeah, it happened." Tony studied Peter carefully, noticing the look of cold fear etched in his kid's features. "I'm so sorry, Peter. I shouldn't have left you alone out there. You never should've been brought into the middle of all this."

Peter turned and looked at Tony in surprise. "You're sorry?! Why are you sorry? I'm the one who fell for Beck's trick. I should've known, but… he… he looked just like you."

Tony nodded. "I know… FRIDAY hacked the cameras at the airport when you went missing. It could've fooled me, too… except I knew I was somewhere else at that moment."

"Still… I'm sorry. You didn't deserve to see that… you know… what happened to your parents," Peter said.

Tony shrugged, shuffling a little in discomfort at the memory. "I think they were planning to use that anyway." Tony frowned a little as another thought crossed his mind. "Just how did Beck know you were in Germany? I feel like they always planned to lure me to Siberia, but… how did they-" He didn't finish the question, stopping when he noticed a sheepish look on Peter's face.

"Um… yeah… that's something else that I'm sorry for." Peter sighed. "Some guy… someone Beck knows… I guess he followed me. He saw me changing into my Spider-Man suit and left a tracker in my backpack."

Tony chuckled without any real humor and shook his head. "So… are you still glad you brought that homework along when we left New York?"

Peter shook his own head in response. "I hope it didn't get blown up or anything. That one assignment was kinda hard… I'd hate to do it all over again."

The two laughed lightly… as if Peter's homework was really their biggest problem right now. Yeah, right!

"We'll have to take care of that guy that saw you… that is… if Romanoff hasn't gotten to him already. She was with me when we discovered what Beck did. She was going to look into some things when I left to find you," Tony told him. "We can't have someone out there spreading your secret. Did they tell you a name?"

"No…" Peter said. "But I'm not sure it really matters anymore," he mentioned, shifting slightly.

Tony frowned with concern. "What is that supposed to mean? Of course it matters… I'm not looking to risk your safety again, kid."

Peter sniffed, fighting some tears that threatened to fall. He lifted sad, glassy eyes to look at his father. "I don't feel the same, Tony."

It was the second time that Peter had gone back to using his first name. Tony had hoped for Peter to use 'dad' beyond the times when he was in distress. He put that thought aside as the gravity of Peter's other words sunk in. "Hold on… what do you mean you don't feel the same? I can get someone to call Shuri back to take a look… I'm sure that stuff should be out of your system by now."

"I'm sure it is," Peter nodded, lifting a hand to swipe away a stray tear. "Um… but… I was awake earlier and do remember what it did to my DNA." Peter swallowed thickly. "I don't… I don't feel as strong. I think… I think maybe my powers are gone."

Realization hit Tony like a truck. Of course… how could he forget? He was so happy to see his son awake and coherent that he allowed himself to forget that there were likely severe consequences from that damn drug. "Oh…" Tony said dumbly, unsure of what to say to his kid. There was part of him that felt like these were the best possible side effects. At least now his son could be a normal teenager, right?

And yet, the sad look on Peter's face told Tony that he shouldn't think that way. His son had been given a gift. And now he might have lost that gift for good. Maybe.

"It could be temporary, Peter. Let's not give up just yet, okay? You're still recovering." Tony used his hand to gently grab Peter's chin, lifting his head so that Peter was looking at him again. "Look who your dad is, Pete. I've got some pretty smart friends. We'll figure this out. I'm gonna take care of you, kiddo. That's my job."

Peter offered him a smile, a sliver of hope returning to his eyes. "Okay, Tony. I trust you."

"You know… I kinda liked when you started using 'Dad.' I mean, sure… you were a little out of it when you used it, but…" a half a smile formed on Tony's face. "It wasn't so bad."

Peter blushed. "Oh… I sorta forgot that I did that." A sad look fell across Peter's face. "You know… it slipped out when Beck was disguised as you. He didn't react at all… that should've been enough to clue me in that it wasn't really you. I can't believe-"

"-Don't" Tony cut him off. "Please don't do that to yourself, Pete. I told you… it could've fooled me, too. He upgraded the tech. We couldn't have known it could be used like that. What he did was completely unfair to you."

"It wasn't fair to you either," Peter offered.

Tony briefly wondered if Peter was referring to stealing his image or using it to make Tony witness the murder of his parents. He supposed it didn't matter. Either way, both of those were unfair to Tony. "I guess you're right," Tony shrugged. He lifted a hand to brush through Peter's brown waves. "But I'll get through it… as long as I have you to help me. I'll be alright."

Peter smiled at him, a slight twinkle in his eyes. "Yeah… we'll get through it together, Dad."

Tony beamed at Peter. Hearing his son call him 'dad' again brought some much needed warmth to his heart. All the hell that he went through in this week seemed to disappear, if only for a moment, at the sound of it.

Peter studied him curiously. "Are those tears in your eyes, old man? Don't go getting all mushy on me. If you cry, then I'll cry… and I feel like I've done enough crying lately."

Tony laughed… genuinely laughed. It wasn't a deep, hearty laugh, but it was a start. His kid had that effect on him… bringing even a little joy in the darkest moments. He pulled Peter in for a hug, allowing those sappy tears of his fall. "Sometimes your old man just needs to cry, okay? We can do that together, too. So long as we keep it to ourselves."

Peter returned the hug eagerly. Even though Tony couldn't see the boy's face, he could hear it in Peter's voice that he was, in fact, crying as well. "You got it, Dad. We'll keep it to ourselves." Peter sniffed a little, keeping a firm hold on his father. "You know… I'm pretty fond of you."

Another laugh left Tony's lips. It was the first step towards an open expression of love. Tony would take it. "Yeah, kid. I'm pretty damn fond of you myself."

"I can only imagine what Aunt May would say if she saw this right now. She may not believe me when I tell her just how sappy you really are," Peter joked.

Tony's eyes shot open at the mention of Peter's aunt. He quickly pulled back from the hug, but kept a grip on the kid with a hand to each of his shoulders. "Oh my god! Pete… I think I should make a phone call. May is going to kill me!"

Realization dawned on Peter's face. May didn't even know about any of this. "Well…" Peter shrugged weakly. "We had a good run. It was nice while it lasted."

Tony shook his head and gave Peter a gentle tap to the cheek. "You're a little shit, you know that?"

"Like father, like son," Peter retorted.

They laughed a little more. "But seriously," Tony said, sobering a little. "I better find a way to call your aunt. She's probably losing her mind right about now."

* * *

It took a lot of talking on Tony's part, but May eventually did calm down. She wanted to go to Wakanda, but the Iron Man convinced her to wait until they got back. The week in which she had to wait for them to return was absolute torture to say the least, but it had helped that she talked to Peter on the phone every day.

Pepper and May worked together to make a special dinner for when Peter and Tony got home. They were expected soon, and everyone was anxious to see them. May and Pepper were in the penthouse with a recovering Rhodes, setting out the final pieces on the table. The tension was still thick with everyone's anxiety. The recent events had taken a different toll on all of them, and they each felt nervous to see what state Peter and Tony would arrive in. They knew that each one was recovering from physical injuries, but it was the emotional toll of the experience that concerned them the most. They would all need therapy after this calamity, there was no doubt in that.

Before long, a sound at the door made them all freeze in anticipation. Tony was the first to walk in the door. He held it open for Peter as he tentatively walked inside, looking down at the floor sheepishly. FRIDAY was the first to offer a greeting, "Welcome home, Boss. It's nice to see you and young Boss back home again."

Tony smiled as he reached to wrap an arm around his kid. "Thanks, girl. We're happy to be home." As he spoke the words, May and Pepper rushed over to their boys. Words weren't needed. Instead, they wrapped their arms around them tightly without showing any intention of letting go.

May felt the way Peter stiffened when her arms first embraced him, but it only lasted a moment before he melted into the hug. Quiet sniffling gave away the fact that he was crying. Not that it mattered. A choked sound from the older man beside them indicated that he let out a soft sob as Pepper embraced him as well. May was sure their tears were a mix of relief to be home and grief over the trauma they'd been though. She squeezed Peter a little tighter before stepping back to hold him and at arm's length so that she could inspect his condition.

Peter didn't meet her eyes, he let his gaze fall back to the floor under her scrutiny. Without a word, May brought a hand under his chin so that he would look at her. There were so many emotions in her boy's eyes that it overwhelmed her for a moment, but she kept her composure. Peter needed her strength right now. She smiled at him, "Hey there, tough guy. I missed you."

Peter offered her a small smile in return, "Missed you more, May." He leaned forward, nestling himself into the crook of her neck. There was safety there. She felt like home. He felt May's hand lift to his face, wiping away the tears that had managed to escape beneath his new glasses. He hated the glasses. Sure, they were made special for him by Shuri, but they were a harsh reminder that his body had regressed. His enhanced sight, along with his other powers, was gone. And, while it could be temporary, there was also a very real chance that he would never be Spider-Man again. Peter shuddered involuntarily at the thought, and he felt May hold him a little tighter in response.

There was the sound of a throat clearing from across the room, and they all turned their attention to the man propped up on the sofa. "What's a cripple got to do to get a little attention over here? I may be a military man, but I ain't too proud to say that I could use some of that love." Rhodey opened his arms to his friends, giving them a needy look. Peter and Tony shared a mischievous look before rushing over to the man. Rhodey's eyes grew wide as they approached. "I take that back. I'm a very proud man. Don't go bull rushing me with…umph…" the breath was knocked out of him as both Tony and Peter wrapped him in a giant group hug.

"We missed you, too, Honey Bear," Tony teased, his voice giving away the genuine affection he felt for his best friend.

Peter chuckled, lifting his elbow to nudge his father back. Peter looked at his Godfather with a small smile, "How're you feeling?"

Rhodes mirrored the smile, sadness and relief at war in his eyes. "I think I'm supposed to ask you that question."

Peter turned and shared a smile with his dad before saying, "Yeah… um… I'm okay." Peter nodded towards the unmoving legs that Rhodes had propped up on the couch. "But… I mean… are you feeling okay?"

"The kid has very little concern for his own well-being, Platypus. He's been worrying over you ever since I told him about your little spill," Tony explained, not bothering to hide the clear concern on his own face.

Rhodes shrugged a little. "I mean… my legs are still there, so it should be fine." He smirked at Tony with a hint of humor in his eyes. "I hear there's a genius around who can hook me up with some tech to help me get moving again."

"Anything you want, pal. You name it, and I'll make it," Tony told him.

"I was talking about the Princess of Wakanda," Rhodes teased. "But if she's busy, I guess I can settle for you."

Peter couldn't hold back a bark of laughter in response to the comment. Tony looked like he wanted to offer his friend a smart remark in response, but he was too distracted by the pleasant sound of his kid's laughter. He lifted a hand to his son's head, swiping his fingers fondly through the brown waves. "I'll get you back for that remark later. Just you wait."

"Mm hm… I'll be halfway to Wakanda before you can think of anything clever," Rhodes told him. They couldn't help it. The teasing was simply their way of communicating affection for one another. It worked for them. Even if it could seem harsh to anyone who didn't know better.

Peter chuckled. "You two are like an old married couple."

"I'm pretty sure they are," Pepper jokes, walking over to the table and pulling out some chairs. "I am actually quite certain that I am the third wheel."

The men caught the hint that they needed to make their way over for dinner, carefully helping Rhodes off the couch so that he could join them as well. A space was cleared at the table for his wheelchair. Tony frowned as he and Peter helped him into the chair. He would definitely find a more efficient way for his best friend to get moving again. Surely, Peter could help him with something… maybe some special braces to hold his weight and let him walk again. He could talk to Peter about it later. The kid was bound to have a few ideas. And working in the lab would be a great distraction for them both.

"We made your favorites," May said from the kitchen, pulling a dish from the oven.

"We?!" Peter and Tony asked at the same time, clearly alarmed that May might have been involved in the meal prep.

May frowned at them as they settled into their seats at the table. "Very funny, you two. I'll have you know that Pepper has been giving me some cooking lessons."

Pepper smiled, "I basically did all the work. I only let her add the seasoning."

"That's a relief," Peter commented. "I'm starving."

May playfully swatted him on the shoulder as Pepper brought over the final dishes.

Tony finally felt himself relax as he looked around the table. This was his family. They were a little worse for wear, but they were alive. And more importantly… they had each other. So long as they were together, there wasn't anything that they couldn't handle.

After a few minutes, he noticed that Peter looked equally content. He met his father's eyes across the table. "This is really nice," he said. "I kinda like this family dinner thing. Any chance we could make this a regular occurrence?"

"I sure hope so," Pepper chimed in.

Rhodes smiled, "You know I'm in. You make food this good and I'll be here!" As if to emphasize his point, he put another helping of food on his plate.

Tony smiled at his friend and shot a teasing look over at May. "It's not bad. The seasoning is a little off, but… hey!" Tony barely ducked in time as a roll went flying by his head.

Peter erupted into laughter. "Dad! You should've seen the look on your face! Aunt May nearly took out Iron Man with a biscuit!"

Tony echoed his son's laughter as the other people at the table shared their own looks of joy with one another. It had been the first time they were able to hear Peter refer to Tony in this way. Sure, Tony had gushed about it over the phone, but it was something else entirely to hear it and witness the father and son bond in person.

It was crazy to think they could have such a perfect evening together after everything that happened. It made the recent events feel like nothing more than a bad dream.

They continued to laugh and share playful banter some more before FRIDAY's voice interrupted. "Ms. Romanoff has entered the tower, Boss. She's requesting permission to see you."

Tony sobered at the mention of the Black Widow, memories of their last encounter flooding into his mind and making him shudder. _Peter was safe. The team would recover._ He pushed the memories aside and answered, "Sure thing, FRI. Let her come up."

Rhodes frowned a little, furrowing his brows in concern. "That's a little risky, isn't it? I thought she was on Ross' radar. If he finds out she's here…"

Tony stood up, lifting a hand up towards his friend to indicate that he didn't need to finish that sentence. "It's Natasha. I'm sure she was careful." He made his way over to the door, opening it up so that Natasha could enter.

It wasn't too long before she joined them. She stepped inside and surveyed the room, offering them all a friendly smile. "Sorry to interrupt." She made her way over to the kitchen and leaned casually against the counter, placing herself at an angle where she could see the others clearly.

Tony closed the door and made his way back over to the table, raising a questioning brow at her appearance. "I'm sorry… Who are you? I was expecting Natasha Romanoff, not Marylin Monroe."

Natasha lifted up a hand to smooth back her new blonde locks. "I'm going to take that as a compliment."

"I think it looks real nice, Ms. Romanoff," Peter commented with a smile.

"Thank you, Peter." She gave an accusing look to Tony. "At least one Stark has manners."

"No… he just has a crush," Tony teased, rustling a hand through Peter's hair as he moved back to his seat at the table.

Peter blushed instantly, muttering indignantly under his breath.

Natasha just smiled fondly at him.

"I guess the red was a bit too conspicuous?" Rhodes asked her curiously.

She nodded. "Some of us need to lay low for a while."

"No offense," Pepper spoke up. "But… is it really laying low if you're here?"

"Isn't this the first place they'll look for you?" May added in concern.

Natasha shrugged, not showing any hint of concern. "I'm a spy. Hiding in plain sight is what I do." She looked at Rhodes. "How're you holding up? You feeling any pain?"

The man shrugged, "It's nothing I can't handle." He lifted a hand and placed it fondly on Peter's shoulder as he looked around the table. "I have everything I need here to get by."

"So I see," She said. Her face was cool, but her eyes showed Peter a clear hint of warmth and fondness. She may have turned against them at the airport, but it didn't mean that she loved them any less. Families fight sometimes, but they're always there for you when you need them. And Peter knew that she helped his father when he went missing. He had no doubt she helped him keep himself together, and he was thankful to her.

"Something tells me you aren't here to reminisce," Tony commented.

Natasha nodded in confirmation as she noticed something on the floor and bent down to pick it up. When she stood, she was holding the roll that May had attempted to hit Tony with. She said nothing, merely lifted a questioning brow as she held it in her hand.

"Dad insulted Aunt May's skills as a sous-chef," Peter offered as an explanation.

May frowned a little, "I almost had him, too."

This time the warmth on her face was clearly visible. She, too, clearly approved of Tony being referred to as 'dad.'

"Anyway…" Tony said, attempting to get back on track and learn the purpose of the Widow's visit. "What brings you… oof." His words were cut off as the roll hit him right between the eyes.

"Nice shot!" Peter complimented. May simply clapped her hands and gave a small cheer.

Tony scowled at Natasha, but she simply smirked at him and said, "That was for insulting the sous-chef and insulting my hair."

Tony huffed in annoyance. "I thought you were taking it as a compliment!" he whined.

"I lied," she said flatly. "Marylin Monroe did not have my particular skill set."

For a moment, Tony considered another clever remark, but decided it was better left unsaid. Besides, he really did want to know why she was there. "Fine… whatever. Can we call a truce now? I've had enough with baked goods flying at my face."

Peter simply chuckled as he took a bite from his own roll.

"What do you have for us, Natasha? The suspense is killing me," Tony complained.

A proud look crossed her face. "Beck's friend turned himself in," she told him.

Peter instantly sobered at the mention of the man's name, earning a concerned look from his father. "W-what made him do that?" Peter couldn't help the small stutter that left his lips. These people were behind some of the worst moments of his life.

"Not what, kid… Who," Rhodes clarified, nodding his head towards Natasha. "It's who made him do that, Pete."

She smiled at Peter confidently. "I'm known to be very persuasive," Natasha told him.

"Oh," Peter said, feeling a little stupid for asking. Natasha Romanoff was a deadly force to be reckoned with. The man's only other option was probably to let Natasha kill him… slowly and painfully. Yeah… Peter would've turned himself in, too. "Huh… thanks," he told her.

"It was my pleasure, Peter," Natasha told him.

Tony gave her a grateful smile. "Thanks for that. Truly. Did you…?" He didn't need to finish the question. Natasha simply pulled something from her pocket and placed it on the counter.

"Don't worry, Tony. I got it all." She looked at Peter. "Your secret is safe, kid. There's nothing to worry about."

Peter adjusted the glasses on his face a little. "I'm not really sure that I have a secret to protect anymore."

"Of course, you do. No one can erase all the things Spider-Man has done, Peter. You'll always be Spider-Man… no matter what." The look on her face told Peter that she somehow knew. She was a spy, so Peter supposed he shouldn't be surprised that the assassin knew that he didn't currently have his powers.

He gave her an appreciative smile for the encouragement.

Tony eyed the drive that she had placed on the counter. "What else?" He knew he didn't have to elaborate with Natasha. She would understand enough.

"Everything," Natasha told him cryptically.

"Everything?" Rhodes questioned, seeming to understand.

Natasha nodded. "It's all there. Everything about Peter's disappearance."

Peter frowned. "But we already know what happened." He was confused. What else was there to know? Beck figured it out and kidnapped him… that was it.

"No kid…" Rhodes told him, giving him a sorrowful look. "This isn't about last week."

Peter's eyebrows shot up in realization, and he now understood why his father suddenly looked pale. "You mean…"

"-You found something about what happened when Peter was just a baby?" May finished for him, looking more than a little pale herself.

A look of understanding crossed Pepper's face as well. She still had questions, though. "How did he have that information? Where did he get it?"

"William Ginter Reva worked with Stane. He had a copy of his files all this time. It's how Beck and Zemo figured out that Peter was really Tony, Jr." Natasha elaborated.

If Peter were to look in a mirror, he was pretty sure he would be as pale as everyone else at the table. "So… um… everything?" Peter asked her.

The Black Widow nodded, a haunted look just barely visible on her face. "Everything. You have everything you need to finally solve the mystery once and for all."

Tony leaned back heavily in his chair, hardly able to believe that the final pieces to the puzzle may finally be put into place. He carefully lifted his eyes towards Jenny's picture and let out a shaky breath. "Okay… let's put everything in place then."

He and Peter shared a look with one another. It was a look full of contrasting emotions: determination and fear, excitement and terror, relief and uncertainty. They were finally going to get answers. They just weren't sure if they could handle the truth on top of everything else that happened recently.

But one thing was for sure. None of them could wait another day. After so many years, the answers were sitting just inches away. Whatever the truth was, they were going to face it. And they would face it together… because together, they could get through anything.

Or at least they hoped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! That was a long chapter. Was it worth the wait? Please leave a comment and share your thoughts. I know exactly how this ends, so I really don't intend to make you wait long. (Especially because I want to start a new story idea).
> 
> As always, I love you all 3000!


	15. An Iron Bond

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally time to wrap up this story with a pretty bow. Hope you like it! Please leave me thoughts! I love to read your comments :)

After Tony learned that Obadiah Stane was behind his kidnapping in Afghanistan, he thought his opinion of the man couldn't get any worse. But then he discovered he was behind what happened to his fiance and his son. Surely after learning that, his opinion of the man couldn't get any lower. Could it?

It definitely could.

There were no words for how much he loathed the man. He hated him so much, he wished he had the power to bring people back to life. That way he could kill Obie over and over and over again… and maybe one more time. Each death would be more painful than the last.

Tony sighed deeply, curling and uncurling his fists as he fought with his emotions. He looked around the room. Peter was asleep on his couch, curled up into May's side. Pepper had draped a blanket over the pair as they slept. There was no need to chase them away. They were welcome to stay in the penthouse tonight. Rhodey had left earlier, preferring to sleep in his own bed. Happy helped the man return to his sleeping quarters in case he should need any help settling in.

He nearly jumped as a soft hand came to rest on his shoulder. "Tony," Pepper whispered to him, giving his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Come on… let's get to bed." When Tony looked back over at his son, she added, "Peter and May will be alright. I left a note for May that they were welcome to use the guest rooms in case they wake up."

Tony smiled, lifting a hand to grab the hand his girlfriend had placed on his shoulder. He squeezed her hand gently as he stood. "You always think of everything, Pep. What would I ever do without you?" There was more behind his question. Anytime he was forced to think about how suddenly Jenny was taken from him, he feared that he would lose Pepper, too.

She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. She knew him well enough to know what he was thinking. "I'm here, Tony. We have each other. Let's not worry about the future right now. Dwelling on what could happen in the future only robs us of the things we can enjoy right now." She tugged him gently to their room. Normally, those words might be an invitation to have a glorious night in bed. However, those words were simply about being close tonight, and Tony had every intention of holding her close and relishing in the peace that came from having her warmth so near.

They soon settled into bed, but Tony knew sleep wouldn't come easy. As he lay in bed, he couldn't help but to think about Obadiah's files and everything that they learned.

The first file they looked through was all about that night. It was a file simply named 09.12.04. It held all of the plans that Obie made for that horrible night. It also made it clear that his plan had gone horribly wrong. Both Jenny and his boy were meant to be killed, but not in the house. They were meant to be taken alive, with Obadiah planting information to make it seem like Tony was responsible for their disappearance. He wanted to make it look like Tony had them killed.

But that plan fell apart. It fell apart because they didn't know Jenny. They didn't realize just how hard she would fight to keep her baby safe. So they killed her in the house and left with T.J. (no... Peter).

With Jenny in the house, they didn't have a good plan to pin it all on Tony. If Jenny and TJ had been killed later, the time of death could've been made to look like a time when Tony was finished with his meeting. But Jenny's time of death was clearly when Tony was occupied, and there was no evidence prepared to make it look like he was behind anything at that point. It was all set to have phone calls go to his phone later. Calls that the police might be able to use in a case against Tony, making it look like he was in contact with a killer.

Tony felt like it was a flawed plan. A good lawyer never would've let him take the heat. But Obadiah likely just wanted the public to turn against him. If they did, the board of directors wouldn't be far behind...voting Tony out of his own company. Obadiah wanted Tony gone, and then he could simply kill him and make it look like an accident.

But Stane's crew failed him. In a second file, they found all of the names. Men that Obadiah hired from a Stark Industries warehouse of all places. These men started by helping with the shipments of Tony's weapons… the illegal shipments to go with the deals made under the table. With a little extra money, Obadiah convinced them to kidnap Jenny and his son.

However, when Jenny fought, one of the men lost patience. He killed her right then and there, thus destroying the timeline Obadiah set and making everything else they wanted to do worthless. A dead fiance and a missing child made the public sympathize with Tony. Stane let things remain a mystery in hopes that the sympathy would turn to suspicion. He told the men to get rid of the boy, and he believed that they did.

In time, Obadiah realized that not enough suspicion was thrown in Tony's direction. He also learned that Tony Jr. never died.

Thus came the file on Richard Parker. Tony was still shocked that he didn't know more about the man. Richard Parker helped manage the Stark Industries Warehouse where these men were hired. Yet, Obie knew Parker was too good to get involved in his crooked dealings. He and his men kept Parker in the dark. Working around his shifts and forging paperwork so that everything looked normal.

However, Richard Parker left in a hurry after September 12, 2004, making Stane suspicious. From what they read in his files, he originally believed the man witnessed something he shouldn't have. So, Obadiah hired a private investigator to find him. Once found, Obadiah would get rid of that particular loose end. But the private investigator found more than Obie expected. He found Richard and Mary Parker with a little boy… one that looked too much like Stark Jr. to be a coincidence.

From what Tony could tell, that was when Stane really went off the deep end. He started killing off the crew members, angry for their failure and betrayal. He also arranged for Richard and Mary Parker to die and make it look like an accident. He had a man watching Ben, May, and Peter. It was a hitman by the name of Burt Kenyon. He intended to find out how much Ben and May knew. There were several plans prepared to be put in place. Some only involved his son's life and made Peter's death look like an accident. Other plans were to kill May, Ben, and Peter all together. It was terrifying.

However, Tony's return and emergence as Iron Man in 2008 changed things. Obadiah died, and Kenyon abandoned the job. Tony figured this was likely because there was no longer a way to get paid since Obie died. Another part of him also hoped the man was too afraid of Iron Man to finish off his kid. Whatever the case, Natasha could find out. She left to find the man and get any other information he might have.

Tony closed his eyes and sighed again, feeling himself ready to give into exhaustion.

One major question lingered: How did Richard Parker get Peter away from danger?

There was only one person who might be able to answer the question. He was the only surviving member of Stane's 9/12/04 crew. His name was Joseph Walker, and he was currently in prison serving a life sentence for second-degree murder.

* * *

Peter was up early the next morning. He was surprised to find that he actually slept quite well on his father's couch, but his racing thoughts wouldn't let him return to sleep once he began to stir. May had already excused herself to return to their apartment downstairs. She said that she wanted to shower and change, but Peter also knew that she likely needed some time to herself. She needed that time to collect her thoughts and process things on her own.

For a few moments the night before, they thought maybe Ben had also been targeted by Stane. However, the timing didn't line up. His uncle's death had truly just been a tragic accident… wrong place at the wrong time.

Peter shook his head as he started gathering ingredients for breakfast. He decided to try his hand at making his uncle's famous pancakes. It had been a long time since he made them, but Peter needed the distraction. So, he decided to see if he could manage to recall the recipe and prepare breakfast for his family.

It felt like the least he could do. Part of Peter knew that these deaths weren't his fault, but a larger part of him was consumed with guilt.

1\. His mother died trying to protect him.

2\. Richard and Mary Parker died because they were trying to protect him.

3\. Uncle Ben died trying to protect him… even if it was unrelated that night. That guilt wasn't going away.

4\. Even the men who broke into his house were killed by Stane. Had they tried to protect him as well? Were they the ones to put Peter in the hands of Richard Parker? Did they defy the order to kill him?

Peter frowned deeply as he began to combine his ingredients in a bowl, stirring it all together with more force than necessary.

"Woah there, bud. Take it easy with that whisk," Tony said to him.

Peter startled at the sound of his father's voice, dropping the whisk into the bowl as he jumped back with a squeak.

Tony chuckled, leaning one hand on the counter as he lifted his other hand to wipe the sleep from his eyes. "Sorry, kid. Didn't mean to scare you." He was dressed casually, a pair of sweatpants and plain t-shirt. When he walked around the counter, Peter noticed he was barefoot as well.

Peter was still in his clothes from the night before, a pair of jeans, a science pun t-shirt and a zip-up hoodie. He wanted to give May some time to be alone, so he figured he'd worry about changing later. He didn't say anything, he just gave his dad a nod, adjusted his glasses and went back to whisking his ingredients.

His father cleared his throat and shifted a little. "Pancakes?" he asked, recognizing the batter in the bowl.

"Yeah… um… I thought I'd make everyone breakfast this morning. I hope that's okay," he said, suddenly realizing that it might have been rude to help himself in the kitchen.

"Of course!" Tony assured him. "Want some help?"

Peter nodded, "Uh… sure. Maybe you could get out a skillet that we can use?"

"Even better," Tony said, pulling out a griddle. "I made this baby last year. It distributes the heat so that everything cooks evenly." Tony set up the griddle while also keeping an eye on his son. "That looks good," he commented with a small frown, looking concerned. "You don't want to overwork the batter, Pete."

Peter hardly even realized that he was still whipping around the ingredients. He nodded in acknowledgement of his father's words and dropped the whisk once again. "Sorry," Peter told him, feeling worried that he may have ruined the pancakes.

His dad hummed a little, turning to study his son carefully. He smirked, "God… you really are my kid, aren't you?"

Peter just gave him a confused look, uncertain of the point his dad wanted to make. Peter's parentage had been well and truly settled at this point.

"Pepper says that I tend to frown, purse my lips, and beat up inanimate objects when I'm worried about something," Tony clarified. He pointed to Peter's bowl and its contents. "A little habit my son has inherited, it seems."

"Oh," Peter said, biting his bottom lip nervously. "Yeah… I guess."

They continued working on the breakfast before Tony spoke up again. "Wanna tell me what's on your mind, kid?"

Peter scoffed, "Shouldn't it be obvious?"

Tony shrugged as he used a spatula to flip the first pancake. "Probably, but I like it better when you tell me things."

He was quiet for a moment before he answered. "They're all dead because of me," he finally said.

Tony dropped the spatula. "Nuh uh… nope. Pete, please don't go there."

"But it's true!" He argued, desperately fighting to keep some composure. The desire to scream or even cry fighting for dominance inside of his head.

"For a smart kid, that has to be the stupidest thing I have ever heard you say," Tony insisted.

Peter's mouth dropped open at that. He really didn't know what to say. He also wasn't really sure whether or not to be offended by that comment.

Tony took a few pancakes off the griddle before continuing. He must have noticed Peter looking mildly offended because he said, "You know what I mean, kid. The last thing I want is for you to blame yourself for any of this." He sighed and rubbed his head. "You really are a chip off the old block, you know that?" He chuckled sadly. "No one does self blame quite like I do, son. I'm the master of guilt. I am far more at blame here than you are... believe me."

Peter frowned. "I thought you were going to try to avoid blame. If I'm not at fault, then you aren't at fault either!"

Tony nodded emphatically. "Precisely, kiddo! That's the danger of the blame game. It's endless. It goes round and round, up and down. But you know what hours of therapy has taught me?"

A cheeky look crossed Peter's face, "Pepper actually got you to agree to therapy?"

"Not the point," Tony continued. "The point, Pete, is that we are not in control of what other people do to us. We can only control how we respond."

"I guess," Peter said doubtfully.

"Victim blaming is a real thing, Peter." His father stepped closer, placing a hand on each of the boy's shoulders. "What if I told you that I blamed myself for your mother's death? For your presumed death? What if I told you I felt responsible for my own kidnapping?"

"For a smart guy, I would tell you that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard you say," Peter responded, a small smirk playing on his lips.

"You learn quickly, young Padawan," Tony smiled. He used his hands to rub Peter's shoulders a little. "The thing is… I did blame myself. For all of those things. There were people who made me believe that was true… people like Obadiah mostly. Him and a few other scumbags along the way."

Peter leaned forward, placing his head on his Father's chest. He wasn't sure if he was trying to comfort his father or himself. "I hear you, but… it just hurts. It feels like my heart is in my stomach, and I hate it!"

Tony wrapped his arms around Peter. "The cure for that is to spend time with the people who lift you up the most, kiddo." He brushed his fingers through Peter's curls, lowering his lips to the boy's forehead in order to place a gentle kiss there. "You are the best, Pete. You are the most selfless person I know. You would never do anything to get anyone hurt. Obie would've killed the people closest to me even if you hadn't been in the picture. He was that awful."

Peter lifted his eyes to look up at Tony. "I'm really sorry he hurt you, Dad."

Tony gave his son a wan smile. "This didn't just happen to me, junior. It happened to us." He held his boy a little tighter. "I'm just sorry I couldn't protect you from all of this. It hurts me to think of everything you've lost in your life."

Peter gave his father another squeeze before gently pulling away. He shrugged, "Yeah… I have lost a lot, I guess. But… honestly, it's what I've gained that really matters." He lifted his eyes to meet Tony's, hoping the man understood his meaning.

But Tony needed to hear it. "Yeah? What's that?"

Peter smiled shyly. "I found you. For the first time in a really long time… maybe for the first time ever, my family feels complete. I'm home. The circumstances that took me away are the worst, but finding you… that's the best."

Tony could feel the warmth of tears building in his eyes. He couldn't remember crying this much. When in the world did he let himself get so soft? He swallowed and attempted to blink away the tears as he studied the young man in front of him. Who was he kidding? He wasn't soft. He was a father. A father who was really damn proud of his amazing kid. A father who was so grateful to have this kid in his life. He cleared his throat, "No kiddo… you… you are the best!" He hugged his boy again. "We'll get through this together, kid. You and me… along with some of the best people this world has to offer."

"The Avengers?" Peter asked.

Tony frowned a little. "Can't say I'm on the best terms with those guys right now. I was thinking more along the lines of Pepper, Rhodey, May… even Happy. He's really great once you get to know him."

Peter laughed a little. "Yeah… I don't think he's as grumpy as he pretends to be. I'm pretty sure he's a big ol' marshmallow on the inside."

"For sure," his dad agreed.

They held each other for a while, forgetting about their breakfast and not worrying about it getting cold.

"Dad?" Peter said a moment later, getting the older man's attention. "You mentioned that we're in this together, right?"

"Mmm Hmm," Tony agreed, still holding the boy close and not in any hurry to release his hold on him.

"Good. Because there is something else that you and I need to do," Peter said, his voice full of determination.

"Finish the pancakes?" Tony guessed, sounding a little hopeful. Peter figured he must be hungry.

"Besides that," Peter chuckled, pulling away again to look at Tony carefully.

Tony smiled but grew more serious when he saw Peter's face. His son had a look on his face that seemed to be a mixture of fear and determination. It was like looking at a soldier preparing for battle.

Peter cleared his throat a little. "I want us to talk to that guy who survived… the one Stane didn't kill. We need to go see Joseph Walker… together."

* * *

For the record, Tony wasn't thrilled with the idea of taking his son to see a man imprisoned in California. But he couldn't cut Peter out. Not now… not ever. Everything that Obadiah started on that fateful night in September happened to both Peter and Tony. They both needed answers, and they would get the answers together.

It had taken some time to arrange the visit. Because he was Tony Stark, he was able to pull some strings and arrange a private interview with Joseph Walker. Tony and Peter were sitting together anxiously waiting for a guard to bring the man into the room.

"It's not too late, kid," Tony told his son. "I can do this alone if you changed your mind."

"No way," Peter protested. "Nice try, old man. We are doing this together. I'm not going anywhere."

Tony nodded. It had been a long shot anyway. He studied his son for a moment as he fidgeted with his glasses and rubbed as his head. "You sure you're good?" he asked in concern.

Peter lowered his hand and sat up a little straighter. He took a deep breath, "Yeah, totally. Just a little headache. That's all."

Tony was about to say something else, when the door opened. A guard led a tall man into the room. He was wearing an orange jumpsuit with his hands and feet shackled in a way that made it impossible for him to run off or get very far. Once the guard was finished securing the prisoner to the table, he looked at Tony. "You can have as long as you need, sir. We're just outside the door, so holler if you need anything."

Tony nodded in agreement and waited for the guard to leave before speaking. Tony was about to address the man when he noticed Walker was looking at Peter. Walker seemed truly surprised to see the kid.

Peter scowled. "Dude… take a picture. It lasts longer."

To his credit, Joseph Walker actually looked away, flushing slightly with embarrassment. "Sorry about that. Just surprised to see you is all." The man's voice was rough, deep, and scratchy. He looked every bit like a stereotypical criminal with his tattoos, piercings, and shaved head. Yet Tony noticed a surprising softness in the man's blue eyes.

"You know who we are then?" Tony prompted. "You know who _both_ of us are?"

The man nodded. "Hard to miss the resemblance between father and son, Stark," he told Tony. "Your boy grew up to look a lot like you." He looked back at Peter. "Although, I'm sure you learned all of your manners from the Parkers, right kid?"

Peter's eyes widened in surprise. "Seriously? Just like that? You know who I am and where I've been, and you talk to me like everything is completely fine and normal?"

Walker chuckled ruefully. "God no… nothing about this is normal." He looked back over at Tony. "I always figured this day would come. Well… I figured either you would find me or someone else would come to finish me off before you did." The man raised an eyebrow at Tony. "Sure took you long enough, though."

Tony fought to keep his composure, not wanting to lose his patience with his son sitting next to him. "You must be kidding me. Took me long enough? I thought my son was dead, you asshole!"

Walker looked away for a moment, a flash of guilt crossing his features. "Almost…" the man said ominously. He glanced at Peter. "But he's not."

Tony slammed his hand on the table. "And you didn't think I would need to know that?! He's my son! I deserved to know he was alive! Why the hell were you just sitting around waiting for me?!"

Peter stayed quiet, opting to listen for the time being.

Walker shook his head in disbelief. "You're joking, right?" He leaned forward on the table. "What was I supposed to do? You think these people here were going to let me call Tony Stark? Thousands of people have claimed to have information about your kid over the years. You really think anyone would've believed that I was the guy who knew the truth?"

"Maybe! But we'll never know, will we? You could've at least tried!" Tony argued.

Walker scowled and leaned even closer to Tony. "Tell me honestly, Stark. Would you have taken the call?"

Tony sighed, leaning back heavily in his chair. Walker had a point. It was highly doubtful he would have agreed to talk to this man. He intentionally distracted himself over the years so that he could attempt to move on. Plenty of people tried to talk to Tony about Jenny and TJ after that night. But the only people Tony agreed to talk to about it were Pepper and Rhodey… and the therapist Pepper insisted he see on occasion.

It was Peter who talked next. "We didn't come here to fight, Mr. Walker. We're just hoping you can fill in some blanks for us."

Once again, the man studied Peter carefully. "You really have grown up. You in high school now?" Walker asked curiously.

Peter nodded. "I'm a sophomore."

Walker gave Peter a half smile before asking, "How'd you figure it out? Last I heard, you were pretty content as Peter Parker, living a quiet life in Queens."

"I saw a picture of a familiar face in an article about… well… it was about me. But at the time, I didn't know for sure that it was me. I started doing some research, and I knew I needed answers," Peter told him.

"He became an intern at my company and the final pieces clicked into place," Tony added, continuing to scowl at the man.

Walker scoffed again, "Crazy time to be reunited with your kid… with the Avengers falling apart and all that. It was all over the news. You and your team of merry men kiss and make up yet?"

"Merry men? Do I look like Robin Hood? Tights aren't my thing," Tony whined. "And don't let Black Widow or the Scarlet Witch know they've been excluded. Merry men? Yeah… that wouldn't end well for you." Tony seemed suddenly struck with an idea. "On second thought, I can still get in touch with them. I'll let them know and they can show you exactly how they feel."

The man in orange laughed. "I'll bet. Maximoff is said to have quite the explosive temper… if that incident in Lagos tells us anything."

"Can we focus please?!" Peter burst out, looking back and forth between his father and Joseph Walker.

Tony cleared his throat, looking mildly guilty. "The kid's right. We're here for answers, and I think you can give them to us."

Walker straightened up a little. "What do you need to know?"

It was Peter who did the talking again, surprising Tony a little. "We obtained a copy of some of Stane's old files. We have most of the events from that night figured out based on the documents we found. We know Jenny…" Peter paused. "We know that my mom wasn't supposed to die in the house that night. We know Stane's plans were forced to change."

Walker nodded but said nothing, waiting for a clear question to be asked.

It was Tony who asked the first burning question on his mind. "Why'd you do it? She was supposed to be taken from our house alive! What the hell changed? WHY DID YOU KILL HER?! If she had been taken alive, I might have been able to save her!"

Walker shifted uncomfortably for a moment. He noticed the kid shift closer to his father. He sighed, "You only know things from Stane's perspective… his plans." He shook his head. "We didn't even know the full extent of that man's plans… or at least I didn't."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Tony asked impatiently.

"You don't know what it's like, Stark. You were living high and mighty in your mansion, but those of us in your warehouses… we struggled to get by. My partner and I barely made rent every month. He worked in the warehouse with me… helped me get the job, actually." Walker shrugged a little in discomfort. "Sam wasn't the easiest man to live with. He had a past, and a really explosive temper sometimes, but he was good to me… most of the time. He was the one who first met Stane." He swallowed nervously. "It started out with little stuff like forging shipping documents. He paid us well for that kind of thing. It helped us get out of debt. Sam wanted to buy a house and get out of our shitty apartment."

The room was quiet for a moment before Walker continued. "But then Stane started getting us to do other stuff and paid more money for it. Bigger shipments, delivering stuff to the docks late at night… sometimes people got hurt. No one was killed, so we kept going." Walker took a deep breath. "Then… Sam gets a call from Stane, telling him he wants to meet and talk about this big job. Sam was all excited because it would be the biggest payday yet. He left shortly after getting the call to have a meeting with him. I think some of the other guys were there as well."

Walker paused again, looking off to the side in a daze.

"Go on," Tony growled out.

Walker blinked, looking like he was on the verge of tears. "You may not believe me, but I didn't really know what we were getting into. I trusted Sam. I never questioned him. He told me the job was for us all to go to your house while you were at some meeting and steal some special packages for shipment." He shook his head harder, looking back and forth between Peter and Tony. "In hindsight, it was so obvious. It should've been obvious, but I just went along with it… figured Sam would tell me what I needed to know when the time was right."

"When did you figure out the real plan?" Peter asked nervously, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I knew something was wrong when the house wasn't empty. Your security was gone… paid off most likely. I could see her moving around inside. I told Sam we needed to leave because she would see us." A faraway look came over Walker's face. "And then he told me she and the kid were the packages. I wanted to argue, but there was no time. Everyone started moving towards the house." Tears fell down the man's face now. "It all happened so fast. Before I knew it, we were inside and back towards the nursery."

Tony shook his head, "If my AI had been up and running at that time, you never would've made it to that room."

Peter blinked at his father in surprise. He should've realized. He never even thought about how the AI might've warned him. He figured the Artificial Intelligence was later installed as a more reliable safety measure after that night. No one could pay off or bribe an AI.

"I wish we hadn't reached that room," Walker confessed. He looked up at Peter with a guilty expression on his face. "I can't remember everything that happened in your nursery that night. It's all a horrible blur. I just remember one of the guys handing me this screaming kid while Sam was trying and failing to subdue your mother." Walker shuddered. "I told you… Sam had a violent temper. When your mother fought him, he lost it. He snapped. I didn't even see what he was doing. Every bone in my body was screaming at me… get out! get out! Get the kid out!" He swallowed past a lump forming in his throat. "I reached out to the most trustworthy person I knew. While the others were… um… distracted, I slipped out and made a very quick call to Richie. I was lucky the others didn't follow me or hear me." He continued to look at Peter, needing to get the truth out there. "You were just this little thing whining in my arms. I managed to get the phone to my ear and told Richie to meet me at the warehouse. It was an emergency. Talk to no one else but me."

"Richie?" Tony asked, fighting his own emotions. "That was Richard Parker?"

Walker nodded. "There was a lot of chaos from there on out. Sam was panicking, freaking out that Obadiah wouldn't pay us because… well… because of what he did to your fiance." Walker sighed. "I know it doesn't mean anything now, but I am sorry. That shouldn't have happened. She didn't deserve that."

"No," Tony said coldly. "She didn't."

Peter rubbed his head, removing his glasses to wipe at his eyes. "So, my da… Richard met you at the warehouse?"

Walker nodded, looking at Peter. "It was always the same. Get a package, prepare it for shipping, take it to the docks. After getting the packages… you… the plan was to go back to the warehouse and prepare the shipment, or so I thought. Thank god we stayed at the warehouse as long as we did because it gave Richie time to get there. I didn't let any of the others take you or hold onto you, so they left me to watch you while they prepared a secondary vehicle. That's when Richie snuck in to find me. I gave him a quick summary of the shit we were in, and I told him to take you as far away as possible. He always suspected Stane was trouble. When he realized what was happening, he vowed to get you away from the man. He took off with you before the others could even know he was there."

"My connections at SHIELD," Tony interrupted. "They had footage from a satellite. It looked like you drowned him. If Peter was with Richard Parker, who was put into that trunk?"

Walker smirked. "Stinky."

"What?" Peter and Tony asked at the same time.

"It was this old stray mutt that wandered around the warehouse. It was the oldest and smelliest dog you'd ever see. I wrapped that mutt in a blanket and managed to convince the others that it was you."

"And that worked?" Tony asked incredulously.

Walker shook his own head, barely able to believe it himself. He suddenly began to laugh. "God help me, they knew something smelled, but I convinced them it was a dirty diaper."

Peter and Tony just gaped at the man, hardly able to process the ruse this man was able to pull off.

"Wait… you drowned a dog?" Peter questioned sadly.

Tony just blinked at his son. This kid! Only he would worry about the old stray that died in his place.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures, kid," Walker told him. "I couldn't risk them realizing you were gone. I needed Richie to get you as far away as possible." He sighed. "I called him once more the next day, before he ditched that phone. He and Mary were already out of the state and making their way towards New York. I gave him the name of a guy who could forge a birth certificate, and that's how you were reborn as a Parker."

Tony shook his head and scrubbed a hand over his face. "Why not tell me? Why wouldn't Richard Parker tell me that he had my son? He let me believe he was dead!"

An angry look crossed Walker's face. "Watch it, Stark. That man saved your son's life! He planned to do what he could to contact you when he thought it was safe. So long as Stane was alive, your boy was safer as a Parker. That's all there is to it."

"But that didn't work too well, either! Stane found out!" Tony said in frustration. "I could've done something to help if someone had just told me what was going on!"

"Maybe… maybe not," Walker countered. "Richie only ever did what he thought was right. He paid for it with his life." Walker shook his head. "Things got ugly again when Stane realized your boy was alive. He became suspicious of everyone, and started taking us out one by one with some hitman he hired. Sam was beside himself. Stane nearly killed him after he strangled your woman. He thought for sure Stane would blame him for this, too. Sam was ready to drive to New York and finish things himself. He thought that might convince Stane to keep us alive."

Peter frowned. "So what happened?"

A forlorn look overtook Walker's face. "This time I had both hands free to stop him."

Peter and Tony suddenly understood. He was in prison for life, a convicted murderer.

"You killed him?" Tony asked quietly.

"I saved him from himself," Walker corrected. "Or… at least that's how I see it. I loved him, but the violence had to stop… for good."

Tony scoffed. "You stopped a killer by becoming the killer?" He eyed the orange jumpsuit. "How's that working out for you?"

Walker leveled Tony with a stare. "I know my place, Stark. I've made my peace with it. I know I deserve to be here. This is where I belong. It's somehow easier in here. I have a bed, a roof over my head, food. I'm assigned as a groundskeeper here. It gives me time to think about my mistakes."

"Oh well, Good for you," Tony said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

"He couldn't get to you here, could he?" Peter asked suddenly, earning confused looks from the other men. "You survived because the hitman didn't get to you? Obadiah Stane had no power in here?"

Walker nodded. "If he hadn't died when he did, he may have found a way to get to me." He glanced at Tony. "Fortunately for me, he was lost when his small aircraft went down."

"Mm Hm," Tony acknowledged. "He had to charter a small aircraft for his vacation. Such a poor safety rating on those… he should have known better."

"Right," Walker said doubtfully.

They all sat in silence for some time, thinking things over.

"If there's nothing else, I'd like to be on my way. The grounds around here don't take care of themselves," Walker stated.

"There is something," Peter managed to say. "Why help me? What was the point?"

Walker looked surprised by the question. "You were just an innocent little kid… a baby. I may be wearing this orange jumpsuit, but I am not a monster. I would never hurt an innocent child. I don't care how much someone wants to pay me. If I had known what was really going to happen that night, I never would've gone along!"

"I'm glad you did," Tony admitted quietly, earning shocked looks from Peter and Joseph Walker.

"It doesn't mean I approve of you or like you in any way!" Tony snapped. He let out a shaky breath, "I just hate the thought of what would have happened if you hadn't been there. It doesn't sound like anyone else was worried about keeping Peter alive, so… I'm glad you were there."

It was the closest thing to gratitude Walker was going to get.

"So… you're going to keep the Parker name?" Walker asked Peter. "I wasn't really sure what to call you, but Stark has referred to you as Peter a couple times."

Peter swallowed nervously. "I don't really remember being Anthony Edward Stark, Jr. I only remember Peter Benjamin Parker. My dad and I agreed it would be less confusing to continue as Peter."

Walker smiled, "It suits you."

Tony was uncomfortable. He had the sudden urge to leave. He was supposed to hate this man. This man was there when Jenny was killed. This man was part of the reason he lost his son for so many years. He didn't deserve to be in the same room as them any longer. Tony only wanted to offer him contempt. If they stayed any longer, Tony might actually feel sorry for the man.

"Guard!" Tony called out. "We're done here."

* * *

The trip back to Tony's new mansion in Malibu was mostly quiet, leaving Peter and Tony to process things for themselves. Every once in a while, Tony found himself sending worrying looks in his son's direction. Peter had a pained look in his eyes, frequently adjusting his classes and rubbing at his temples. He'd have to remember to get him something for his headache.

Pepper and May opted to stay back in New York with Rhodes, likely wanting to give the father and son the time and space to bond and process things together. When Tony walked into his house, he couldn't help but to find the space feeling empty and cold. It never felt the same without Pepper there. And yet, he was grateful to have Peter with him to make the house feel a little more like a home.

Peter made his way over to a chair that overlooked the beautiful scenery outside, plopping down in it with a heavy sigh. He was still rubbing at his temples, and he let out a groan at the pain of it all.

Tony instantly went to the kitchen to grab some pain killers and a glass of water. He joined Peter in a nearby chair, placing the items in his hands on a side table where Peter could reach them. "Hey kid… brought you some relief for that headache of yours. Sorry I didn't have anything to give you sooner"

Peter shrugged, shuffling as he did so and seeming almost uncomfortable in his shirt as he moved. The boy pulled off his glasses and set them on the table, squinting a little as he did so. He carefully picked up the pill and water and nodded his thanks to Tony.

They settled into the quiet for a bit longer before Tony spoke again. "So much about our story is unfair, Pete. But honestly… I wanted to hate him… yell at him. I never expected Walker to be halfway decent. The fact that he is somehow makes this seem even more unfair. I want to yell at someone… scream at them… maybe punch them around a bit." Tony sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face. "I would kill all those bastards who intended to kill you… the ones who did nothing to help your mom. I'd kill them all for what the pain they brought us, kid."

Peter let out a pained grunt. "Um… yeah… I kn-know, dad. But y-you're better than them." He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment and breathed through a spike of pain. "Not a killer…" he added in an attempt to finish his thoughts.

Tony frowned as he studied his son, noticing just how uncomfortable he really was. "Shit… Pete! Is it a migraine? Maybe you should lay down. We can unpack our conversation with Walker later."

Peter nodded, attempting to stand to his feet and move in the direction of his room. He stumbled a bit, with his father coming up behind him to offer support. Peter stopped for a moment in the kitchen, gripping the Quartz countertop for support. "Ugh… too much," he whined.

"I know, kiddo. It was a big day," Tony responded.

Peter moved to brace both hands on the counter, gingerly shaking his head back and forth. "Uh… no… TOO MUCH!" Peter said again, squeezing his eyes tightly shut and shrugging his shoulder up towards his ears. "TOO MUCH! TOO MUCH!"

Tony tried to put a reassuring hand on Peter's back, but that only made Peter flinch as if the touch was painful.

"Boss," FRIDAY's voice chimed in. "It seems to me that young Boss is having some form of sensory overload. Would you like me to dim the lights?"

Realization struck Tony. "Yes, FRI! Bring the light down to 20%." The room instantly became darker. "And sound proof the house, FRI. Cut out any ambient noise." While Tony already thought the house was quiet, he could tell that FRIDAY followed the command because the whole seemed to still as any extraneous noise from outside the house was shut out.

Peter clutched desperately to the counter, trying to anchor himself. He worked hard to slow his breathing, but it felt like his own shirt was tearing at his skin. Peter growled in frustration, lifting up his hands and slamming them back on the counter-top. The expensive Quartz counter instantly crumbling beneath his touch, sending the pieces down to the equally expensive tiles below.

Tony stared in shock as Peter jumped back, startled by his own actions. He fell backwards onto the tile, causing it to crack beneath his weight as he fell.

Father and son just blinked, mouths agape as they processed what just happened. Tony didn't say anything, too afraid that the sound of his own voice might hurt his son. Peter just stayed on the floor until his breathing was back under control. He blinked up at Tony after a few minutes. "Holy shit!" Peter muttered, surveying the damage once more. A guilty look crossed his features as an embarrassed blush also appeared on his cheeks. "I'm so sorry… I didn't mean…" He didn't finish that sentence. Instead, he lifted one of his hands to motion from the counter to the cracked tiles beneath him.

Tony couldn't help himself. He was probably going crazy. He would blame it on the stress of the entire day, but he was suddenly howling with laughter.

Peter frowned at him at first. However, it wasn't long before Peter was echoing the man's hysterical laughter. The men clutched at their stomachs and wiped away the tears that fell as a result of their hysteria. It took a little time before they were breathing normally again.

"Oh… oh my god, Pete! You should've seen your face! That was some of the funniest shit I've ever seen. I mean… at first, I was terrified. I didn't know what was happening, but then you broke the counter-top and the floor…" Tony chuckled again, shaking his head at the whole situation. It was simply too ridiculous to be anything but funny. Counter-tops and Floors could be repaired, but the look on Peter's face had been priceless.

Peter carefully stood to his feet, taking stock of himself. He blinked a little as he surveyed his surroundings. "I'm back," he proclaimed in awe. "I'm… I'm me again!"

Tony offered his son a sad, knowing smile. "Oh kid, you were always you… even without your powers."

Peter smiled. "I know... I guess. It's just I felt like part of me was missing, but now…" He rubbed his eyes a little. "I'll have to adjust to the enhanced senses again, but… I feel more like myself than I have since Siberia."

"Do you feel like it's all back? Just like that?" Tony asked, genuinely curious. Shuri and Dr. Cho both believed that Peter's powers would come back, they just had no way of knowing how quickly they would return. Nor did they know if it would come back all at once or little by little.

Peter seemed to focus for a moment, flexing his muscles and taking stock of himself. "Um… not sure. I don't actually think it back at 100% yet, but… yeah… it's totally a step in the right direction. The senses are there for sure." He shrugged. "I guess that explains the headaches."

"Headaches?" Tony questioned. "As in plural? More than one headache? How long was this going on, Pete?"

"On and off for the last week," Peter confessed. "I thought maybe I was just adjusting to glasses again."

"You could've told me, Pete," his father added, earning a simple shrug in response.

"You've had a lot on your mind. I didn't really want to bother you about some stupid headaches."

Tony sighed, stepped forward to put a hand on Peter's shoulder. He looked his son right in the eyes and said, "Peter, I need you to always tell me when you aren't feeling good. Got it? I don't care what else is going on… you tell me. I'm your dad. I can't help you if I don't know that something is wrong."

Peter nodded. "Yeah… okay. Um… I'm sorry about breaking your kitchen."

Tony laughed again. "It's fine. Really. Just ask Pepper how many times I've damaged my houses over the years. This is nothing… just stuff. I care far more about you."

Peter gave his father a genuine smile. "Thanks, Dad." He looked down for a moment and sighed. "What a week, huh?"

Tony nodded. "Indeed, kid. One hell of a week." He studied Peter for a moment. "Do you need to talk about it?"

Peter frowned, shaking his head slightly as he took a few steps towards his father. "Do you?"

Tony sighed, "Maybe not at this moment."

Peter's eyes brightened at that. "Maybe now that we have the answers we wanted, we can just enjoy each other's company for a while? The past isn't going anywhere. I think I'd like to focus on the present right now. Make some happier memories."

Tony beamed at the suggestion. "You know what, Junior. That sounds pretty damn good to me. Why don't we settle in for a bite to eat, you can get those senses of yours back under control, and then I'll show you around Malibu. How's that sound?"

In response, Peter launched himself into his father's arms and wrapped him in a hug. "That's perfect."

Tony coughed and wheezed a little. "Ahem… uh… your strength is certainly coming back."

Peter's eyes widened and he immediately released some pressure. "Sorry!"

Tony chuckled, breathing easier. "No problem, kiddo. Your old man is made of Iron, remember?"

Peter echoed the laugh, still holding the hug and nestling his head into the crook of the older man's neck. "Um… I… uh… I just want you to know that… iloveyou."

The last words blended into one and were spoken so quickly that Tony wasn't even sure he heard his son correctly. He pulled away from his boy, giving him a hopeful look as he asked, "What was that?"

Peter blushed and swallowed down his nerves, gathering up the courage to try again. "I said… um... " He looked Tony in the eyes, wanting to convey the sincerity of his words. "... I love you, Dad."

Tony's eyes widened in pleasant surprise, cherishing the words that had just been spoken to him. He smiled widely at his son, lifting a hand to gently clutch his son's head and rubbing his cheek lovingly with his thumb. "I love you, too, kid. More than you know."

Peter stepped back, smiling at him. "Whatever happens next… whatever the future holds, I'm really glad I found you."

Tony smiled back. "Me too, kid. I don't ever want to lose you again."

And as they went about their time together, they allowed themselves to set their troubled past behind them. Memory lane could wait. They'd gone down that road enough. Peter and Tony were content to blaze new trails. They would savor the good moments, and get through the bad times together.

An Iron bond had been forged between them, and that bond would never be broken.

* * *

**** BONUS: END-CREDIT SCENE ** Press Conference: Stark Tower, New York ****

Christine Everhart raised her voice above the other reporters. "Excuse me, Mr. Stark. The statement you released to the press earlier this week painted Obadiah Stane as an evil mastermind, with your son being protected from him by the Parkers. If Stane died back in 2008, how is it that it took you so long to reunite with your son? Were you hoping to keep him away from your troublesome life as Iron Man?"

Tony frowned at the woman. He couldn't remember why he ever slept with her. "My troublesome life?" Tony repeated indignantly. "If you read our complete story, you'll recall that everyone who knew the truth about who Peter really was died around the same time as Stane. I would have been happy to have my son back in my life sooner. I'm just grateful that he found me when he did. My life is far less troublesome with him in it." Tony turned to look at his son, who was standing with him behind the podium as they addressed the press. It was certainly time for the world to know that his son was alive. They didn't bother to include Joseph Walker in the story. They both agreed that the man was serving his time and deserved to be left alone. It was better for the press to believe that anyone involved was dead.

"But weren't you suspicious? How could you not recognize your son the moment you laid eyes on him?" Everhart challenged again.

"Again, Ms. Everhart. If you fully read our story, you'll know that I was led to believe that he was dead. I felt drawn to the kid when we met, but I had no reason to hope that he was my own flesh and blood," Tony answered curtly, annoyed that the woman was always eager to find a flaw.

"Do you always welcome minors to get so close to you?" She challenged further.

Peter shuffled anxiously, looking about ready to give the woman a smart retort. Tony cut him off with his own answer. "Actually, no. He was brilliant. He reminded me of myself at his age." He laughed and shrugged at the press. "That probably should've been my first clue."

The reporters laughed along with him, all except Christine.

"And what about the Avengers?" She called out. "Do you really think it's wise to have your son in the midst of the rift that has formed as a result of the Accords?"

Tony flinched at her question, fighting with the unpleasant memories of just how "in the middle" Peter really was. He cleared his throat. "The Avengers who did not sign the Accords are not currently staying with us at the Tower. However, we are no longer at odds with one another. As soon as some amendments are made, they will sign the Accords and be welcomed home again. I have no reason to believe they would ever bring harm to Peter."

A different reporter interrupted Everhart to ask a question. "Excuse me, my question is for your son… Peter, Do you have any intention of going by your previous name again? Or will you keep the name that was given to you by the Parker family?"

Tony stepped aside, giving his son a proud look. He had no doubt in Peter's ability to answer this question for himself. "Um… hey everyone. Y-yes. My Dad and I have talked about this. We agreed it would be too confusing if I started answering to Tony, Jr. again. So um… we agreed that I would continue to go by Peter." He smiled at his dad for a moment before continuing. "We did, however, feel like it was important to make one change in order for it to truly feel like I'm back home again." Peter watched as the press waited patiently for him to continue. It was actually a really powerful feeling to know how eager these people were for him to speak. "From this day forward, I will once again be adopting the family surname of Stark. At the same time, I want to honor the family who fought so hard to keep me safe all my life. So… I will be Peter Benjamin Parker Stark."

There was a strong reaction from the reporters, and Tony moved towards the microphones once again. He chuckled, "He's truly a celebrity… he has the two middle names and everything now."

There was some excited chatter around the room before Christine Everhart spoke up once again. "Mr. Stark, what do you have to say about the lack of Spider-Man sightings lately?"

Both Tony and Peter froze at the question, looking every bit like deer caught in headlights. Where had that question come from? They didn't even think about people noticing that lack of Spider-Man around the neighborhood. They were still waiting to be sure that Peter was feeling well enough before letting him back on patrol.

Everhart jumped on their silence and took it as an opportunity to continue her interrogation. "I have sources who indicate that Spider-Man was present when you fought with your fellow Avengers at an airport in Germany. He hasn't been seen back in New York since then. Is your son's return just a way to cover up something else? Did Spider-Man die in Germany?"

Before Peter couldn't stop himself. He blurted out. "Spider-Man's not dead!"

His father gave him a disapproving look, but Everhart continued before Tony could try to jump in and take over. "And just how do you know that?"

"Um… because I met him. Uh… it was through my internship. Nice man… solid dude," Peter offered.

Tony tried to jump in, "Okay, that's enou-"

"Peter, have you seen Spider-Man since the incident in Germany?" Christine asked.

The question was aimed at Peter, so Tony reluctantly let him answer. However, the look on his face warned his son to tread carefully.

"Um… honestly…" Peter said, thinking quickly. "Um…I didn't see him right away." _My powers were gone at first._ "But he's been coming around recently." _My powers are pretty much back to normal._ Perfect. The answer wasn't a total lie, so that should work.

Tony swallowed nervously. "If there are no mor-"

"I'm not finished," Christine chimed in again. "If Spider-Man is back around, as you say, Why haven't we seen him? Was he hurt like Colonel Rhodes? It seems like the people around you are prone to injury, Stark." Her words were full of accusation.

Peter snapped. "My father didn't do anything to Spider-Man! He's only ever helped him! Your implication that my father is responsible for the lack of Spider-Man's sightings is completely unfounded!"

He caught a look on his father's face that told him he didn't completely agree. Tony actually did blame himself for what happened to ~~Spider-Man~~ Peter in Germany.

"And just how exactly would you know that? What proof do you have that Tony Stark isn't covering up some misfortune with Spider-Man? The timing of your reunion seems awfully suspicious." Christine said indignantly.

"I would know better than anyone!" Peter spat out. "There's a perfectly good reason why it all seems suspicious, but it's not at all what you think."

"Kid!" Tony's voice scolded, a clear warning in the tone. _Don't give yourself away. Stop talking._

"And what is this perfectly good reason?" Everhart asked doubtfully.

"Oh god," Tony muttered under his breath, somehow knowing exactly what his son's response would be.

"That my father is simply trying to keep his son from getting himself hurt, Ms. Everhart." Peter told her.

Tony lowered his head into his hands and groaned. Why did Peter have to end up being so much like him?

The female reporter frowned at Peter in confusion, waiting for him to elaborate.

"The truth is…" Peter said, a smile playing on his lips as his eyes twinkled mischievously.

"I am Spider-Man."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And they lived happily ever after!
> 
> Maybe... there's still a lot of trauma to unpack, but they'll be able to do that together.
> 
> I have another AU in the works, but I'm also considering a collection of one shots. That collection may just include a chapter or two that ties back to this lovely world of Iron Dad and Spider Son.
> 
> Please, please, please... tell me your final thoughts. I think I covered everything, but please tell me if I left any plot holes. The beautiful thing about these stories is that I can make edits and improvements.
> 
> So, don't be afraid to tell me your honest thoughts. I want give you satisfying stories. Constructive criticism is welcome. (Just don't rake me over the coals, okay? Harsh criticism might break me. lol).
> 
> Love you 3000!


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